


Adventures of the StrawFis -- (STRAWHAT!) Pirates

by Cynical_Internet



Category: One Piece
Genre: Akuma no Mi | Devil Fruit, Asexual Monkey D. Luffy, Baratie, Bromance, Demisexual Trafalgar D. Water Law, F/M, Gen, Luffy Being Luffy, Luffy Staff User, M/M, No Devil Fruit - Monkey D. Luffy, Other, Sabo Dies, Somewhat Smarter Luffy, Zoro Luffy BroShip, Zoro Luffy Bromance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-04-07 23:38:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14092236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cynical_Internet/pseuds/Cynical_Internet
Summary: Luffy didn't eat the devil fruit in the bar that day, instead, he was held back from any action by Makino.





	1. Chapter 1

Luffy watched in anger as his hero, the person he truly looked up to, allowed that guy to beat him up for nothing. Normally, he would be so angered by something like that, he would explode and say something, but Makino was there, and she was scared enough without Luffy adding to it. Makino was one of the very few people who could get him to actually calm down and think things through.

She was sad sometimes, so anything Luffy could do to bring a smile on her face was good.

Yet, even as the bandit guy left, Shanks and his crew didn't do anything. They just laughed the situation off.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU DO ANYTHING?!" Luffy screamed, finally losing his head, not understanding just how they could be so happy.

Shanks just sort of rubbed the back of his head, wondering how to explain it in a way that Luffy would be able to understand, "It just wasn't needed, that guy was weak, and he wasn't hurting the things I care about."

The words hung heavy, and Luffy just didn't understand. A glare still on his face, he ran out of the bar and toward the house he lived in. It was empty, lonely, and cold whenever he was here without at least his Gramps. Yet, Gramps was rarely if ever there, so Luffy was used to it. Luffy laid down on his bed and looked at the ceiling that he couldn't actually see in the dark, arms and legs spread, and allowed himself to actually think about what Shanks was saying.

Only fight for what is important to you...?

...

...

...

Shanks had left awhile ago, promising that he would be back in about a month, and Luffy was still too angry at the man to be sad to see him go. He had absolutely no intention of forgiving his hero for allowing what he did.

Then…the ugly bandit came back.

He walked into the bar like he owned it, and he pulled Makino right over the bar, in front of all the people in the building, without a care. There were some people who got up and looked like they might help, but the bandits pointed their guns toward those people, and they froze in their tracks. Luffy had to watch, as those people, those bandits, dragged his, for all intensive purposes, mother, into the middle of the street as she violently struggled against his hold.

"HEY! LET MAKINO GO, YOU BASTARDS!" Luffy screamed, unable to take it anymore and rushed forward after them.

A hopeless endeavor. Even as Luffy punched the man, he jerked back with a yelp, but just turned and kicked Luffy away from him a moment later.

"Luffy, its okay, just go to the others!" Makino exclaimed, stopping her struggling as she saw Luffy get hurt.

Instead, Luffy charged forward again, intent on helping her get away from her captors, and he was kicked back again. He got up and rushed them again, only to get the same result.

Only, he didn't stop.

It had to have continued 20 times, and the bandits were laughing at Luffy, even as the child, now bloodied, continued to get up and run over.

The townspeople were silent, some had tears in their eyes as they watched Luffy rage against the inevitable defeat that he would be facing. Luffy could barely see, his eyes so hazed with the pain running through his body, but he still got up and rushed toward them again. The only thing in his mind was Makino and the fact that she was in danger.

"I wondered why no one came to greet us." A familiar voice spoke, but the voice was filled with anger, "I come here to make sure everything is okay, only to be met with you cowards. Beating on a helpless boy. He only wants to protect his guardian. More importantly, beating and terrorizing my friends. You won't live to regret it."

Shanks...

Luffy could feel a grin spread across his face, even as the pain became so much that he fell to the ground.

Shanks would protect Makino, after all, he was the one that said the time to fight was when the people you cared about was in danger.

"You did good Luffy, we'll take it from here."

That was the last thing that Luffy heard before he completely blacked out.

...

...

...

"You did good, kid," Shanks spoke, the second that Luffy opened his eyes.

Luffy grinned and gave off a laugh that both hurt his chest, but eased it somewhat. He could feel Shanks hand on his head, in his hair, and Luffy had only ever had Makino ruffle his hair like that before. It felt nice to get it from Shanks as well.

"I'm going to get stronger and stronger. So strong that next time, I can protect Makino myself…and I'll beat you too." Luffy suddenly pledged, even with the pain making it hard to even twist his neck to look at Shanks.

Shanks smiled at the determination that he could hear in Luffy's voice, "What will you do with all that strength?"

"I'll protect the people I care about and I'll become a great pirate. No, I'll definitely do it. I'll become the best pirate!" Luffy suddenly exclaimed at the end.

"So strong that you'll beat me and…what? You'll become Pirate King?" Shanks asked, mostly just teasing, but in a way asking. He looked at that determination, at the smile that Luffy sometimes had, and he could see that resemblance between Roger and the little anchor in front of him, and if Luffy said he would become Pirate King, Shanks knew he would believe it.

"That's a thing?!" Luffy asked, his eyes shining and he sat up as though he was never hurt, "Then that's what I'll do! I'll become Pirate King! Shishishishishi~!"

A second later, Luffy was placed back down into the bed as he started to wince in pain from reopening his closing wounds.

Makino came in a moment later, Shanks still sat at Luffy's side, and she was crying.

Luffy calmed down and looked confused, with bleed into anger, "Makino? Did someone do something to you? I'll totally beat them up for you!"

"No way little anchor, you're still hurt. Don't worry Makino, I'll beat them up for you!" Shanks declared, raising a fist into the air at the over-dramatic declaration.

"No, I'm just so glad that you're okay." She spoke through her tears, a smile rising to her mouth at the sight of those two boys, so worried and ready to fight for her, even when there was nothing wrong. She really was cared for, and though she wanted to tell Luffy not to do what he had before, she also knew that it would only make him more determined.

She went over to the bedside and pulled Luffy into a hug, "Yes... I'm just glad you are okay."

Makino continued to cry, and Luffy sat there in her embrace and felt warm.

He didn't feel alone in this house he lived in, with Shanks and Makino at his side.

...

...

...

"Nee, Shanks! Train me! I wanna get stronger!" Luffy begged, sitting next to the Captain as he drank at Makino's bar. It had been about a month since Luffy had tried to save Makino, and since then, he had been begging Shanks every single day to help him get stronger. Yet, Shanks just laughed it off every time.

"I want to be able to protect Makino if it happens again!" Luffy suddenly exclaimed, and Shanks finally looked at Luffy seriously for a moment.

"Ehhhhhh, I'm not really a good teacher." Shanks admitted, "Do you have a weapon or something?"

Luffy's eyes lit up with excitement because it seemed that Shanks was finally going to train him, "YEP! Gramps trains me to use it sometimes when he is here. He says that once I become a marine I can get a better staff but I've told him that marines are stupid! I'll go get it!"

Luffy ran off, going into his house and rifling through all of the stuff in order to find the pipe that Gramps put in there whenever he had to leave. It was heavy, but with all the training that Gramps had already given him, it was simple to lift it up and bring it with him, as if the metal pipe were nothing more than a simple stick.

He came back within fifteen minutes, Shanks had been hoping the kid said he didn't have a weapon so that he could escape the training, but it seemed like he wasn't that lucky, "Benn~ How do you train a kid?"

"You move really slowly so that you don't accidentally kill him." Benn stated, giving his whining captain a dry look.

Luffy was standing before them. My god, Shanks had seen some pretty horrible looks, but those puppy eyes were poison to the soul. There was just no way to keep saying no to the kid when he flashed those things.

"Urghhhhh~ Fine, come on Luffy."

They stood in the middle of a field and Luffy was practically hyper with wanting to spar, while Shanks would have preferred to be just about anywhere else, "Alright Anchor, you just attack me, and I'll defend. Go as hard and fast as you can, okay? A little kid like you wouldn't be able to hit me anyway."

Luffy was about to rush forward in anger, but he took a deep breath, not noticing the look of pride that Shanks had sent his way from it before rushing toward his opponent. Gramps had taught him all of the basic attack and defense stances, so Shanks would definitely be in for a big surprise.

Fifteen minutes past, Luffy hadn't even come close to hitting Shanks once.

Shanks was actually rather surprised by the strength that his young friend had at seven. He was stronger than Shanks had been at that age, for sure. Luffy was going to grow up to become someone very scary when he learned to fully control and use that strength of his. Shanks already knew what he would be giving Luffy as his going away gift, but this fight solidified that. It was the perfect thing to help Luffy get stronger and to protect himself once the Red Haired Pirates left and when Luffy went on to find his own path.

They went at it for hours, Luffy trying in vain to attack Shanks. Shanks stood there unshaken, looking nearly as relaxed as he would be if he were sitting at the bar drinking. Luffy, on the other hand, was covered in sweat and dirt, the signs of his hard, but futile, work.

"You're going to be really strong one day, Luffy," Shanks admitted, even though he had shown absolutely no strain against Luffy.

He watched the kid puff up in aggravation – Understandable, what Shanks said had to have sounded really patronizing after what just happened.

...

...

...

Luffy might not have been able to tell, but after the three months that he was being utterly destroyed by Shanks, he had improved a lot. Most of that improvement had to do with recognizing and controlling his own natural strength, though he did get stronger as well. Even his technique had gotten a lot of polish under the harsh and painful corrections of Shanks. No matter what though, the training was easy compared to Gramps. Still, it was the time that Luffy had been dreading. The Red-Haired Pirates needed to leave, and this time, they weren't coming back.

Luffy wasn't crying, he just had something in his eye.

"I guess that means you'll miss us, Anchor." Shanks proclaimed upon seeing the tears, "Not going to ask to come along?"

"NO WAY!" Luffy sobbed out, "I'm going to become Pirate King, I can't do that with someone else as Captain!"

Shanks grinned and could practically see the ghost of his captain standing behind Luffy. _“He would have approved of this”_ Shanks thought, as he laid the straw hat atop Luffy's head, it’s wide rim sinking over those leaking eyes. "Then this will be our promise. Give this back to me once you become a great pirate."

Then, Shanks reached over to the pole that he was carrying on his back and held it out to Luffy. It was made of something smooth but extremely dark grey, "Now this…this is my gift to you, my little student. It's Kairōseki, I'll let you figure out what that means yourself. DAAAHAHAHAHA!"

Luffy might have glared for the teasing, if his eyes weren't already busy leaking as Shanks walked away, leaving Luffy with a hat and a staff.

...

...

...

"I'M NOT GONNA BE A STUPID MARINE, I AM GOING TO BE KING OF THE PIRATES!" Luffy yelled at his grandfather, smashing his head with the staff that Shanks had given him. His Gramps looked at the staff in surprise.

"Where did you get that?" There was an almost serious note to the voice Garp was using. For a second, he actually acted almost like the Vice Admiral that he was supposed to be.

"Shanks gave it to me. He said it's made of Karosake!" Luffy proclaimed, looking at it proudly but getting the pronunciation just a little wrong.

"BWAHAHAHA! I'll give that Red Haired brat some credit for giving good gifts!" Garp laughed, the seriousness practically melting away with it, "Still, the brat put some bad ideas in your head. PIRATE KING! As if I would ever let that happen. Clearly, my leaving the island too often has had a bad effect on you."

Garp picked Luffy up and started to drag him along by the shirt, "I can't stay for too long, but I will bring you somewhere with more discipline."

Luffy kicked about, trying his best to break his grandfather's grip. He didn't want to go through any more of his Gramps’ plans. They were always really dangerous!

Yet, no matter how hard he tried, there was no wiggling out of the grasp he was in, even when Luffy tried to just take his shirt off to escape, his Gramps just held him by his ankle instead.

The heavy forest broke to show a big wooden house with the sounds of fighting and yelling happening inside. Luffy was wondering just why his Gramps had brought him here when Garp walked through the unopened door like there was nothing there, like he owned the place and could destroy it however he wanted. A fat looking woman looked up from where she was beating someone with a wooden bat and glared, "OI! Just because you blackmail us doesn't mean you can destroy our stuff!"

"Sorry, sorry." Garp said, but his tone was so insincere that even Luffy could tell that his Gramps didn't mean it, "I'll be leaving this one in your care from now on. Take care of him, Dadan"

With that, Luffy was thrown in front of Dadan. His Gramps didn't stick around long enough to have anything else said and left while the whole room was still too stunned to even object.

"Well, seems like I'll be staying here, for now, shishishishishishishi! My name is Monkey D. Luffy." Luffy got up, remembering what Makino said about manners, bent backwards to bow to the room of people.

They just stared at him.

Silence.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?" They screamed at Luffy

The boy just looked confused, "Makino said I should bend when I introduce myself so that I'm polite."

"YOU BOWED THE WRONG WAY!"

Luffy just tilted his head to the side in confusion, but waved the thought away, "I'm hungry. Give me meat!"

Dadan stepped forward, "Listen, kid, since you're staying here, you'll need to learn the rules."

...

...

...

Luffy had felt alone for the first week being there, but he quickly gained another goal besides training and hunting. Portgas D. Ace, someone only a few years older than Luffy, was someone the boy was determined to make friends with. He was strong, and sometimes mean, but it was better than feeling alone with the bandits. Luffy just knew that if he could become Ace's friend, he would become every bit as important to Luffy as Makino, his hat, and his staff was.

Easier said than done.

Ace tried to kill Luffy several times, or at least, he would kick Luffy around and into dangerous situations. Once down a river, throwing trees at him, spitting at him, rocks, punches, kicks, horrible words, Luffy took all of Ace's aggression and didn't return a single thing other than the offer of friendship.

He learned that from Shanks.

It wasn't working, but Luffy was getting stronger and quicker from all the things that Ace was putting him through.

He finally caught up with Ace, and the success that he felt at meeting one of his goals was beyond the scope of what Luffy could have expected. It didn't last long though.

"We need to kill him."

"Yep."

Silence...

"You do it!"

"I DON'T KNOW HOW! I'VE NEVER KILLED ANYONE!"

Luffy wanted to cry because he had hoped to be accepted, but instead, they wanted to kill him, and Luffy still had so much that he wanted to do, not even having learned how to swim yet, "DON'T THROW ME INTO THE WATER!"

"RIGHT! LET'S BRING HIM TO THE RIVER!"

Luffy started to cry and struggle to get out of the ropes that he was tied in, screaming at the top of his lungs for help. He promised himself, with the same conviction that he promised Shanks he would become Pirate King, that if he lived through this, he would watch what he said from now on. Any crying died when Ace accidentally hit Luffy's staff against the ground, "OI! TAKE CARE OF MY TREASURE YOU BASTARD!"

"SHUT UP AND DIE!" Ace screamed back.

Luffy was glad when he got to run away. That ended when he was tied up again and by someone looking for Ace and his treasure. They said that Luffy only needed to speak and if he did then he would be free to go, that he would get to live!

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

What is life if it's alone and without the things that matter?

For hours, Luffy was beaten with that spiked glove, and he still wouldn't speak. No way would he give up the chance at Ace's friendship, not after going through everything he had already. It would be worth keeping his mouth shut until these guys got tired of beating him up. At least, Luffy tried to tell himself that he would get himself out, but his vision was starting to get hazy, the sort he had after that fight with the people who tried to take Makino, which meant that Luffy was about to pass out. Then, the ray of hope that Luffy was unconsciously hoping for showed up "ACE! SABO!"

He was saved.

...

...

...

Time went on, and bonds were forged. Ace, Sabo, and Luffy became brothers and started to train with one another. Generally, they were pretty tied up as far as who beat who – Though Ace was clearly the strongest, Sabo and Luffy weren't exactly lagging far behind. They each pushed each other to new heights, hunted stronger animals, and just had a great time.

Luffy couldn't have expected what happened, happy as he was.

Sabo's father came for him, Grey Terminal burned down and Sabo died before he became free.

Luffy was just crying as Ace swore he'd go after the people who did it.

"It's the world itself that did this! You can't go against this, not unless you are the highest caliber. Until you're half the man your father was, you can't even attempt to avenge Sabo!" Dadan said, stopping the raging Ace from going after the Celestial Dragons.

"Sabo wasn't free, he wasn't free at all." Luffy sobbed out, crying even harder than he was before.

Ace stormed out of the house.

Luffy was so alone for the next few months. Ace didn't want anything to do with him, considering the way that he was avoiding his brother. The staff user was alone again. Even after gaining two brothers, he had lost them. It was because he wasn't strong enough to protect what was important to him…again. Even after training with Shanks and all the fighting and practicing with his brothers.

It took Ace a year before he finally broke and came to visit Luffy and apologize.

Luffy just hugged his brother and sobbed, "I've been so alone! Don't do that again! I don't want to be alone!"

"I won't ever leave you alone again Luffy, I promise." Ace swore. And even though Luffy couldn't see it, tears were streaming down Ace's face too.

Gramps visited again, and training was even harder than before, but Luffy was finding the punches easier to dodge and even when he was hit, they didn't hurt as much. Gramps got a weird look on his face whenever Luffy managed to almost dodge a hit or didn't end up halfway across the yard when one of the hits connected.

It was the look Gramps gave when Ace got angry in town and knocked half the people out that Luffy would remember the most, though.

"SHISHISHISHI! LOOK AT GRAMPS FACE! SHISHISHISHISHI~!" Luffy laughed out loud, on his back squirming with the force of his laughter.

Once things calmed down, Garp started to laugh as well, "BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I guess that type of strength does travel in the blood! You really are my grandsons!"

Gramps explained the mysterious powers and tried to get Luffy and Ace to train with them. Ace took to it like a fish out of water. Luffy, on the other hand, wasn't really good at understanding what his Gramps was trying to explain, so he had to deal with the physical side of the training.

Gramps just kept hitting him all the time until Luffy started to dodge.

The only problem was, Luffy couldn't ever dodge in time, "OW! Gramps is lying about the mystery power for another excuse to hit me. I'm not stupid!"

"STOP WHINING BRAT! THIS IS HOW YOU TRAIN THIS POWER!"

Luffy pouted and looked to the side, "Liar..."

...

...

...

Ace left when he was seventeen, during one of the few times that Gramps was gone, and the two brothers swore that they would meet again on the sea "Make sure that you write about your journey. I can't do that stuff so it'll be your job."

One of them had to take up Sabo's dream.

"Pfft, you say that as if I didn't already know that, little brother." Ace retorted with a smile, reaching over to knock Luffy's hat off his head, Luffy dodged out of the way with a glare "See you in a few years!"

"Of course!"

When Gramps came back, he was beyond angry that Luffy had let Ace leave to become a pirate, "You little brat! How could you allow him to leave like that?!"

"I'd never get in the way of the dreams of someone I cared about," Luffy stated, nice and simple.

Internally, Garp found that a little bit admirable, and would have praised his grandson for it, had it not been for the fact that Ace was out of his protection now. There wasn't anything he could do. Ace would make a name for himself and it was his father's blood for sure. Garp would have to watch as the consequences played out. He'd tried everything he could to stop it from happening, and yet...

Luffy looked up at Garp with determined eyes, almost daring Garp to say that Luffy was wrong about what he did.

It was one of the few times one of his precious grandsons stood up to him like that.

"You need more training. I'll work that stupid ambition out of you!"

It wouldn't work of course. It didn't work on Dragon, it didn't work on Ace, it wouldn't work on anyone with that indomitable will of D, but that didn't mean that Garp would give up on making sure that the kids could protect themselves. If nothing else, hopefully, they would live longer lives instead of dying early.

Like Sabo already had.

Garp let out a sigh at the grandson he barely knew, the passing of which was brought about by the Celestial Dragons. When he’d heard of that, he had known once and for all that if the brothers ever found out, they would never join the marines. It seemed that it wouldn't ever come to that since they were so determined to go their own path, even without knowing it.

Even for Monkey D. Garp, even for another D, it was impossible to go against that sort of determination and win. Sometimes all you could hope for was a stalemate at best.

...

...

...

Luffy was stood at the beach on his seventeenth birthday and looked out at the ocean that he would soon be traversing. He was wearing a red jumpsuit that Makino had made for him. A bright red, short-sleeved and knee length jumpsuit, but personalized on the back with the Jolly Roger that Luffy had decided on, a grinning skull with a straw hat on it. His straw hat was, of course, on top of his head. On his feet, he was wearing the same plain sandals that he always wore.

His staff was around his shoulders, behind his neck, but held in place by the fact Luffy had his arms over the top of it.

He spent so many years balancing that staff around him that Luffy barely even noticed when he was holding it anymore. It was simply second nature.

Luffy stopped looking at the ocean and turned to face Makino. Having already said his goodbyes to everyone else there was only one more person left.

He grinned at her and leaned forward, giving her a kiss on the cheek "Thanks for everything, Makino!"

Her eyes closed as she smiled, looking happy for him, although Luffy knew that she would be sad after he actually left. She was that way about Shanks and Ace leaving as well.

Luffy jumped onto the little boat that he had purchased, it already holding his food supply and everything. It was the same start that Ace got, and now, he was following in his brothers footsteps, "Wait for me, Ace, Shanks, I'll catch up to you, gain my nakama, and become Pirate King."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta Read by Iai-gami on Fanfiction.net as of 4/04/2018


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note:**  The meeting between Swordsman and Captain.I hope the two are still reasonably well within character, although I plan to have these two a lot closer than they seemed in canon (and they already seemed pretty close there!). Mostly I really want to focus a lot of relationships between characters and adding in bits like that so to make the story more original and less boring to read.

Leave a review, I'll take your idea's into account if they are good. If you have any predictions, let me know.

...

...

...

Luffy grinned as he saw the giant whirlpool that stood in his way, "My adventure is certainly getting off to a fun start. What to do though... I can't swim through that, I'll get pulled in for sure... I guess I'll just have to do that thing Gramps taught me... But all the food!"

He sat there for a solid minute, all the while getting pulled in as he thought, before starting eating all the food that he could, in a pace that could not be replicated from someone who wasn't a D raised by bandits.

Just before it started to get dangerous for Luffy to stay there, the boat starting to get pulled under, Luffy pushed himself up after stuffing one last apple into his mouth and rebalancing his staff around his shoulders. He winced at the strain that even one of the kicks put on his muscles and quickly looked around for a place to land. There were a few ships not too far from where he was – Now that he was in the air and could see farther – but Luffy really didn't want to use the technique to get all the way over there. Yet, there wasn't exactly another choice available to him.

Luffy started to kick his way over, forcing himself to ignore the pain.

It took him a good ten kicks to get all the way to the ship – Gramps would be disappointed in him, as Luffy should have been able to go much farther if he trained with it properly, but it was really painful to train, so Luffy tried his hardest to avoid it.

The ship that he landed on was a passenger sort of pirate ship or something because the people crawling around it and taking things certainly looked like pirates – and the ship next door did have a jolly roger on top of it – Even if it was an ugly ship.

"Oi, you little brat, who do you think you are, interrupting the raiding of this ship like you own the place. This is the property of the Alvida pirates now, I won't allow any upstart to take what's mine." A fat woman spat out, a club waving in the air.

Luffy tipped his head back and laughed, "You remind me of the ugly old hag back home!"

"WHAT?!" She raged on, stalking over to Luffy, well her underlings stayed clear of the mess that was likely to start from the insult toward their captain, "I am Lady Alvida, the strongest and most gorgeous woman on the East Blue –"

"Hmmmm," Luffy started, interrupting her at the pass, finger digging in his ear as if to clear it out, "You don't really even look like a woman... But Makino is definitely the best woman in the East Blue that I know of, and you don't look anywhere near as pretty as her."

The pirate was shaking with rage now.

She raised her mace and brought it down, but from what Luffy could see, it was pathetically slow, so he just stepped slightly to the side and pet it hit his staff, before twisting his staff upward, using her force against her and leveraging her over the side of the boat and into the ocean without a seconds pause.

Silence reigned over the boat.

"You!" Luffy suddenly demanded, looking at a younger looking pirate with pink hair. He was shaking in his boats, but he seemed to be almost hopeful now that his leader had fallen, "Get me the biggest boat that this place has and fill it with food for me!"

That hope was broken the second he was ordered, but with one look at the woman who beat Alvida, he knew that there wasn't anything he could do about it. He wasn't strong enough to stand up to Alvida, how could he possibly be strong enough to stand up to the person who took her down.

Luffy stood on the deck and waited for the pinkette to finish with the request, and watched that fat whale splash about, not strong enough to pull herself up the side of the boat, but too strong to let herself drown. It was funny to watch, although there were a few people who wanted to help her, Luffy just sent them overboard as well, and there were also some people who tried to attack Luffy out of loyalty toward their weak captain – So they went overboard as well. Though they were able to climb back up, they were beaten in one easy move, and thus knew better than to try again for the most part.

"You brat! You must be one of those mythical devil fruit users!" Alvida suddenly called out, "It's not fair to those who are normal and trying to rise in notoriety."

"Well, I don't know what notoriety is, but I do know that I didn't eat one of those fruits. I don't need it, I'm strong just by myself. Shishishishishishi~!" Luffy laughed out, his eyes lighting with even farther joy when Coby came around a second later, the ship full of food and was big enough for at least two people.

Luffy walked over to Coby, any crew member that was in his way flinched away from the site of his staff, but Luffy just ignored the weaklings, "Alright pink hair, you're coming with me! I have a good feeling about you, and Gramps said that I shouldn't ignore those."

"W-WHAT?! B-B-BUT I JUST GOT FREE OF PIRATES I WANT TO BE A MARINE!" Coby exclaimed, shocked enough that he didn't even shake under the hateful glares he got from his old crewmates.

Luffy hadn't expected that, but he didn't have much against marines, he just didn't want to become one... Well that, and Gramps was one, so Luffy would have to avoid them now that he became a pirate unless he wanted to get an extra hard Fist of Love –

Luffy flinched himself at just the thought of it.

"Well, I'm a pirate so I don't really want to be around marines, but I'll bring you to the nearest base. You did bring me a lot of food, after all, Makino always says that you have to be grateful to people who give you food." Luffy explained, and jumped onto the ship without another thought, even as it was falling into the water.

Coby was about to refuse because you shouldn't get into a boat with someone you don't know! Yet, before he could say anything he looked around.

Then jumped in after Luffy.

The heat of those glares had practically pushed him right off the Alvida's ship. Had he stayed, they would have killed him, no doubt about it, he would have been dead.

"Alright pink hair! Bring us to this marine place." Luffy said, sitting down with his legs crossed, placing his staff on them and looking around excitedly, but mostly just looking at the food.

"M-my name is Coby."

"My name is Monkey D. Luffy! I'm the man who's gonna be King of the Pirates." Luffy explained, looking right into the eyes of his new companion, a wide grin on his face, even his gums were showing.

Coby went to laugh, but before it could escape his mouth, he noticed the seriousness that Luffy had about him when he mentioned that dream even wearing the grin that he was, and it occurred that Luffy wasn't joking at all.

"W-wait a second, Monkey D! MONKEY D. AS IN MONKEY D. GARP?!" Coby asked, looking faint at the realization.

Luffy's face screwed up in disgust at the idea of his name actually reminded someone of that old man, but Coby was someone who wanted to be a marine, and therefore didn't know better, "Yep, that's my Gramps."

"You're the grandson of that legendary marine and you want to be a pirate?! How could you?!" Coby screeched.

"I made a promise to someone I care about to that I would do it. I don't care if Gramps doesn't like it, or even if he tries to capture me, the promise I made, that we swore over this hat, it's way more important than that." Luffy tried to explain, but it fell short of the pure determination that he actually felt when regarding his goal.

"F-forget that then, don't you know that the Grand Line is called the pirate graveyard? You can't do there, you'll definitely die! You should just give up on that crazy dream –"

Luffy's fist was what broke that little ramp, the boat creaked underneath them, stressed from the force of that punch, and Coby went unconscious from it. The staff user started down at the pinkette blankly, before reaching over for a piece of meat, "Wow, this guy is really weak..."

The meat went into his mouth, but before he could swallow, a thought struck him, and Luffy chocked.

"I JUST USED THE FIST OF LOVE!" Luffy exclaimed in shock, looking utterly mortified. If Gramps ever found out, he would never let it go, Luffy knew it.

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"You want Roronoa Zoro to join you?! No way, no way he won't do that! He's a pirate hunting demon!" Coby exclaimed something that seemed to happen a lot when he was conversing with Luffy.

Luffy just shrugged it off, "Well, I'll only invite him if he's the right person."

Shanks had Benn, after all, and Luffy wanted something like that. At some point, Shanks had said that having a first mate was like having a brother, it was someone you trusted without reservation to have your back and to always be there. Luffy wanted that with his first crew member – If he felt like Zoro would be that, then Zoro would come with Luffy, even if it took the teen years to convince the Pirate Hunter, Luffy would not give up.

Coby was at a loss for what to say when it came to Luffy. There was no talking sense into the guy – Coby should have expected that, after all, it seemed that anyone the pinkette met that was strong was like that.

It didn't take too much longer before they made dock at Shell Town, and Luffy was hyped up to meet Zoro.

Ever since he was seven, he'd been looking up to the time when he would meet his first mate.

Coby hardened his eyes. Luffy had been nice to him, he wouldn't let his friend do something so dangerous as getting that demon to join him, "Luffy! Please keep in mind that if Zoro was a good person, the marines wouldn't have captured him in the first place."

That did slow Luffy down slightly, "Zoro got caught? Maybe he's weak..."

Coby looked hopeful.

"Well, the only way to know for sure is to meet him!"

A hope that was promptly popped.

Any over objections that Coby put forward were promptly ignored. The physical pulling trying to keep Luffy back just ended up with Luffy dragging Coby along with him now showing any sort of slow at the 'force' the pinkette used. Though Luffy was finding it annoying that Coby was trying to stop him, he also liked the determination. Luffy could feel his fist itching, but a shutter of horror filled memories pushed that urge away.

It didn't take them too long to find it. The building was right in the middle of town, surrounded by a huge stone wall, though there was an iron gate to allow entrance, proudly displaying the engraving 'marine'.

Luffy tilted his head to the side, but just put his staff on the floor and jumped up, balancing on it with one foot as he looked over the wall.

He was met with the view of a green haired man tied up to a cross. He wore a white shirt, black pants and boots, but a green sash was around his waist. His green hair wasn't very visible under that bandana, but those determined eyes? Those were plain in sight, even if they looked tired and weary from what Luffy was sure was an uncomfortable time being captured.

Coby was struggling to push himself up so that he could see what was happening, but the second he saw Zoro, he flinched and fell back down.

Luffy just looked forward, and though he did like the eyes, he to know more about the swordsman, but before he could jump over, a little girl came along and set up a ladder and started to climb up. She had to be at least eight, so Luffy wasn't really worried that she would get hurt, likely able to take care of herself at this point. It would be interesting to see how Zoro would react, though. She signed them a finger against her lips, asking them to be quiet before she hopped over.

Coby was practically chewing his nails off, and whispered frantically, "Luffy! She's just a little girl, he's totally going to kill her!"

"Ehh? She's like eight, she can take care of herself." Luffy mentioned, waving away the concerns.

Coby sputtered and whispered furiously, "You idiot! Normal people can't face full grown men when they are eight!"

"Me, Ace, and Sabo were fine..." Luffy whispered to himself but decided that just in case he would keep an eye out for the girl. Makino said that you should always try your best to protect kids – That was part of the reason she was so upset when Luffy had tried to hard to protect her.

The girl went right up to Zoro, not showing any sort of hesitation, and held out some rice to him, "Here, I made this just for you!"

"Get out of here brat," Zoro spoke in a gravelly voice, Luffy taking in the tone, and it was worried, despite the fact it came off as mean because of his demeanour.

"But I owe you, please just eat it!" The girl spoke, and her eyes were starting to water.

Before the girl could try harder to convince Zoro, the gate to the compound opened and a really weak looking man came striding in. He was surrounded by at least ten different marines, who were in their typical uniform. Luffy hadn't actually seen that uniform before, Gramps always having taken it off when he came for a visit.

"Oh thank god, the girl is safe now." Coby lamented, but Luffy barely heard it, his concentration elsewhere.

"Girl, get out of here before they come closer." Zoro spat, but it was already too late, as the weird looking one with an ugly suit was already standing next to Zoro and the girl.

"Oh rice balls, don't mind if I do." The squicky voice started, grabbing one from the little girl, and placing it into his mouth. He immediately started to cough it up, "Food this horrible is a crime! Why is it so sweet?"

"I thought it would taste better if it was sweet..." The girl lamented, looking nearly ready to cry as her food was thrown on the ground.

"Now, as for how we deal with you... I'm sorry to say that despite Roronoa's best efforts, we'll have to put you to death now. We can't have people flaunting the rules, and helping prisoners, that's one of the worse things that you can do." The purple wearing teen said, shaking his head in mocking sadness.

Zoro was gritting his teeth but didn't say anything, for fear of the situation becoming worse.

"You, throw her over this trash over the fence. Make sure to throw her nice and high, don't want her fall to cause a slow death, do we."

Luffy watched with narrowed eyes as the marine went forward to actually complete that order. His hat shadowed over his eyes, but they were a sea of fury. It was clear that the girl wasn't someone who could protect themselves, trying to attack her, to execute her, for no reason other than feeding someone – It was something that even as a pirate, Luffy couldn't exactly allow to happen.

He grabbed the end of his staff, and jumped up onto, and over the wall, holding his staff to the side of him as he landed, crouched down, "I'm gonna kick your asses."

Nothing was added to that, instead, he just strode forward with intent.

"If you so much as touch me I'll tell my father about it!" The purple man threatened.

Luffy's eyes which were hidden under the lip of his hat were suddenly locked onto the cowards. Luffy didn't stop moving until he was in front of the girl and staring down eleven marines as if they were ants. Before anyone could say anything else, Luffy spun around and hit the one who was going to kill the girl so hard that he crossed the entire yard and broke the wall he slammed into it. But Luffy was too angry to be satisfied with just that, instead, he spun around on the other marines, and like a hurricane of staff and swirls, they were all laid out in front of the future Pirate King in a matter of seconds.

Luffy looked down at the unconscious people around him with a scowl before calling out, "Coby! Come take her out of here."

The little girl was hiding next to Luffy's leg, "Thanks, mister! I was really scared."

Coby scrambled over the wall and came over to the girl, "Come on, let's g-get you somewhere safe."

Luffy stayed still for another few seconds before he turned toward Zoro with a smile, "Hey, join my pirate crew."

Zoro looked taken aback, "What?!"

"They say that you're some heartless pirate hunter, but also a really great swordsman," Luffy emphasized, looking at Zoro, expecting him to add something.

"Only that swordsman part is right, the rest is just rumours." Zoro corrected, looking annoyed, "Anyway, I don't really care what you want, I still have a deal to uphold."

"A deal with the coward over there?" Luffy stated, pointing toward the purple wearing guy.

Zoro gave a sharp grin at the sight of him on the floor, "Yeah, that's him. I swore that I would survive a month without food and he would leave the families here alone. I will uphold my end, my honour."

Luffy wrinkled his nose, considering the way he coward was he doubted that he would be keeping his word

Before Luffy could say anything else though, a tall man and a few hundred marines came rushing out of the building. They lined up in front of Luffy and Zoro, the most prominent was the tall man with an axe in his hand.

"I see you took out my idiot son. I was allowing this game with the Pirate Hunter just because it amused me. Now it's becoming tiresome, men, execute the prisoner and intruder!" The Axeman ordered, causing the Marines to lift their guns. Luffy wasn't too worried though and looked over to Zoro.

"I guess I could let you get shot, you're life will end here... Of course, I would never just allow a member of my crew to get shot..." Luffy trailed off, tilting his head with a sly grin tilting to his lips.

Zoro scowled at the teen, but considering the deal was broken and he couldn't currently protect himself, he would have to put his pride aside for his dream, "Fine, I'll join your crew, you tempting devil. I can't afford to let my dream end here – I honestly don't care if I'm seen as a good guy in the end."

Luffy started to laugh – but was interrupted by one of the marines firing.

Without looking, Luffy tilted his head to the side in avoidance. All the training with Gramps when it came to the mystery power had definitely started to show over the years, though Garp still laughed at how bad at it Luffy was.

"Oi, don't interrupt a Captain and his First Mate like that!" Luffy pouted, turning his attention back toward the marines.

"Sutōmusuingu." Luffy intoned.

He held out his staff, and swung it as hard as he could, it created a shock wave that crew most of the marines backwards and into the wall. It was a technique that Luffy had made from watching Gramps show him that Rankyaku attack. Luffy tried to avoid using that too because it hurt his legs but adapting it had been surprisingly easy.

In fact, the only one still standing after the attack was the much heavier Axe-guy who seemed to be the leader.

"What weak subordinates I have..." Ax-guy reprimanded lowly, "I'm deferent from these weaklings, I'm a Captain! Once I've beaten you, I'll have them all shot themselves for this failure –"

Luffy kicked the ground ten times before anyone could blink, and crossed the yard, punching Ax-guy straight in the face.

"I hate people like you," Luffy stated simply, before turning toward his new First Mate.

Zoro watched the whole thing with a grin, maybe taking a bit too much pleasure in watching those who starved him get their ass so easily beat by his new Captain. The Captain he had decided to follow wasn't a weakling, that much was clear – He was faster than Zoro, at the very least.

"OOOWWWWW!" Luffy suddenly screamed as he went to take a step toward Zoro so he could untie him. He used his staff to support himself so that he didn't fall to the ground.

"Tch." Zoro spat out, in an attempt to cover his amusement, his Captain went from badass to a little child screaming in pain in seconds.

"It's not funny Zoro!" Luffy whined, "It really hurts to do that technique especially after doing the other one earlier today."

"Come on Captain, don't tell me you'll leave your First Mate tied up by marines, and without his swords at that." Zoro mocked lightly, trying to get a better read on how far he could jib at his new Captain, but he saw the amusement in Luffy's eyes too and knew that he wouldn't be having a problem.

"If I knew you'd be this demanding...Shishishishishi~!" Luffy laughed, and used his staff as a walking stick as he went into the compound to search for his new companions swords, "Try not to get yourself shot without me around to protect you~!"

"OI!" Zoro shouted, but Luffy just laughed and continued to walk into the building.

Yep, it was an interesting start to a crew. A swordsman and a staff user, Captain and First Mate, talk about modest starts.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note:**  Nami is now joining up! This is my least favourite chapter so far, but whatever! I still managed to try and fit in new dialogue so I'm proud of myself. I also tried to fix a few mistakes in the last chapter, I've been told that I added a lot of extra words and sometimes my descriptions are hard to read. So I changed a few things around, no guarantee that it's better, but hey, I tried.

Leave your thoughts in a review, if I like them, they might be included.

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"I wasn't expecting you to beat up those Marines like that," Zoro spoke, but the grin on his face showed that he really didn't care.

Luffy grinned back at his First Mate, "Well, they followed the orders of that guy anyway, so they deserved it. Besides, they tried to order me around when I was eating. Everyone knows that if you order people around during meal times it's asking to get beat up."

Zoro laughed, holding his stomach in surprise, it had been a long time since he had even felt like laughing like that, "Who the hell raised you?!"

"Mountain Bandits," Luffy stated simply, but there was still a smile on his face as he watched his crew member laugh in joy.

He swore to himself that he would try his absolute best to keep those sorts of expressions on his future crewmates faces. It felt so good to see it, in a way that Luffy hadn't been expecting. Looking at his happy responsibility, Luffy realized he might have to start training harder so that he could protect that smile – He would even have to train in those powers that Gramps taught him, despite the pain that came with it.

"AHAHAHAHAHA! That explains so much and I've only known you for a few hours!" Zoro noted with humour.

They were drifting along for a few more minutes, just sort of relaxing and staring out at the ocean.

"So, where are we headed Captain?" Zoro implored, his eyes closed and head tilted up as he relaxed in the sun.

"I have no idea."

Zoro sat straight up, startled and looking toward Luffy with wide eyes, "What do you mean you don't know?! We've been in the open ocean for hours! You mean to tell me that you can't navigate?"

"Nope. I'll get a crewmate for that."

"What were you planning to do before you found a navigator?!" Zoro shouted, borderline ready to clasp his hands around his new captain's neck.

"I was told that if I followed the direction my stomach growled I would probably find land." Luffy stated, in all seriousness, "So that's the way I've been bringing us too, there should be food there."

"THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT WORKS!" Zoro yelled, leaping toward his Captain and starting to shake him.

Luffy just laughed again, giddy with how everything was falling into place thus far. He couldn't be more happy about it. As Zoro shook him, Luffy looked up to the sky, and there it was! The Mayor wasn't joking, Luffy could follow his stomach to food.

"Look Zoro, let's get that bird!"

They followed it swiftly, rowing after the doomed animal. It would make a great dinner, that was for sure. It might seem a little bit small, but Luffy had done worse for himself in the forests of Goa Kingdom. The island that they came up upon was almost secondary to the fact that dinner flew away before Luffy could get his hands on it.

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"I can't believe that following your stomach actually worked," Zoro grumbled as they walked around the island. The whole place seemed pretty disserted, a lot of the houses around seemed in shambles, almost as though a cannon had gone through them. Well, either a cannon or Garp trying to find the entrance to a place.

"Shishishishi, my stomach has lead me to safety a few times before," Luffy explained, twirling his staff around him as he walked the empty streets with his First.

Finally, there was actually someone straight ahead, although the figures did seem pretty far off.

Three men were trying to surround a red-haired woman who was quickly scaling the building in an effortless manner. Luffy and Zoro stopped before the four, but the redhead wasted no time trying to force them into the confrontation, "Oh boss! You're finally here."

"Zoro? You didn't tell me you had a worker." Luffy said, turning toward the moss-headed swordsman with an admiring expression.

"Tch, she's lying."

Luffy pouted in disappointment, "Oh..."

"HOW CAN YOU BE DISAPPOINTED?! YOU HAVE THE BEST SWORDSMAN IN THE EAST BLUE AS YOUR FIRST MATE!" Zoro roared, but before the argument could continue, the people who were going after the redhead started to attack the duo. Luffy just glanced at them, and quickly spun around, hitting all three in a row in one small strike. They fell immediately after that.

"Weak..." Luffy stated and was about to turn back and talk to his First again, but the red-haired woman jumped down instead.

"Hey, thanks for saving me! I'll treat you to food in thanks." She said, giving them a winning smile.

Luffy perked up immediately, "MEAT?!"

Nami lent backwards in shock a bit, but managed to keep the smile on her face, "...Sure! I'll see what I can do."

"ZORO LETS GO! MEAT!" Luffy excited, jumping in the air full of joy.

Zoro rolled his eyes, but followed after the two in silence before, "... Got booze?"

"Of course."

Zoro sped up, looking far more excited about this endeavour.

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"You're a navigator?! Join my crew!" Luffy exclaimed, mouse full of meat as he spoke. What luck, to run into a navigator just when they needed one.

Zoro looked exasperated, "Only the devil you are could be so lucky."

Nami, as they learned her name, looked angry at the very idea, "You're pirates?! I hate pirates."

There was a look of rage that crossed her face which had Luffy surprised. It was the sort of thing Luffy imagined he only felt toward that mountain bandit that took Makino, or those Celestial Dragons that killed Sabo. She must have been really hurt by a pirate at some point. Luffy could understand that but...

"But the pirate life is fun. Lots of parties, adventures, singing, and drinking." As Luffy spoke the last part, Zoro rose up the mug which he'd been drinking from.

"Pirates are nothing but monsters who have taken everything I care about other than money and tangerines," Nami stated, though it was more like she was spitting the words out from the hate dripping off the lines.

Luffy thought about it for a second, "But not all pirates are bad like that."

All he got in return for that was a glare but she seemed to think better of it, because if it got her closer to saving her village there wasn't much she wouldn't do, "How about this, you help me with something, and I'll be your navigator for a while."

Luffy grinned full out, and it was hard to imagine a happier person, "Anything you want."

Nami explained her plan, and Luffy just nodded along and agreed to it. But, he did have some compunction, "We could do that... Or Zoro and I could just show up there and kick Burgess' ass."

"BUGGY! HIS NAME IS BUGGY! Anyway, you can do it your way if you want, but you'll just get yourself killed." Nami asserted as if it were fact. Luffy rubbed the back of his neck in thought. He really didn't think that this Burgess guy could actually beat him. Having said that, for all he knew this guy was crazy strong. It wasn't like they had fought before.

"Zoro, what do you think?" Luffy asked, turning toward his First.

All he got was a grin as Zoro reached a hand down and placed them on his swords. Shanks was right, words weren't really needed between Captain and First Mate because Luffy could read Zoro's wants with just that single look. He turned back to Nami and shrugged, "Guess me and Zoro will go beat their ass."

"Don't blame me when you die." Nami spat out, looking at a loss for what to say in the face of such violent idiocy. Acting as if Buggy the Pirate weren't one of the biggest names in the East Blue.

"If I die before I get my goal, that just means I wasn't meant to get any farther." Luffy stated, and started to make his way to the door, as though he hadn't just said something incredibly heavy, "Ready to go kick ass, First?"

"Always Captain."

They left, leaving Nami looking out after them, as they walked straight toward Buggy and his crew. Nami was gritting her teeth as she watched two headstrong idiots walk to their death – Like so many idiots did in her village before they were crushed before the might of a stronger person. Pushing the memories, she decided that she would go and steal the treasure when the idiots were creating a distraction. All good for her, after all, that just meant that she was even closer to her goal than she would have been if she needed to share with them.

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"Ne, Zoro, I bet I can beat more than you!" Luffy challenged as they were walking up to Burgess' headquarters.

"As if a staff can down more people than three swords." Zoro countered and took up the challenge, looking excited to get into the thick of it, his fingers already itching to pull out his swords.

"Oi! This staff was a precious gift from Shanks!" Luffy snapped, before adding smugly, "This staff can do plenty of things your boring swords can't. Just you wait until we run into a devil fruit user. You'll definitely wish you had one."

"Devil fruit?" Zoro inquired, looking rather confused.

Luffy blinked, "You don't know what that is?"

Gramps had told him that the East Blue was the most unlikely place for devil fruit and that a good number of people didn't even believe they existed, but Luffy was still pretty shocked to find out that his First was one of them, "People eat these mystery fruits and gain mystery powers."

"THAT'S A SHITTYEXPLANATIONN!" Zoro snapped, before turning toward the place where they had stopped, right in front of Buggy. The people around him were rustling restlessly. It wasn't every day that someone was in front of their captain and ignoring the man in favour of an argument, "Looks like we're here, Captain."

"Oi, that guy with the big clown nose is Burgess?" Luffy asked, reaching a finger up to pick his nose, but thought better of it. Makino hated it when he did that.

"Buggy, I think his name was, and yeah I think that's him," Zoro explained, though he wasn't sure.

Ber-Buggy suddenly stood up and stopped right in front of Zoro and Luffy, "Roronoa the Pirate Hunter, so you've finally come for me, huh?"

"Nope. My Captain here challenged me to see which of us could defeat the most amount of people in your crew." Zoro explained, not looking at all worried, even as Buggy got even redder in rage.

Luffy burst into laughter, "Shishishishishishi~! Look at his face Zoro! It's starting to match his nose!"

"Bara Bara Ho!" Buggy screamed, pulling out blades and his hand shot off toward Luffy at borderline high speeds. It was still easy enough to dodge, though Luffy was more alert now that he knew that Buggy was a devil fruit user.

Luffy leapt out of the way as three knives nearly impaled his back, the mystery power Gramps taught him for sensing things coming in handy.

"Oioioi, what the hell?!" Zoro cautioned himself, leaping backwards and giving the clown a shocked look.

"Looks like I can show you the power of my staff sooner than we thought, shishishishi~" Luffy proclaimed, promptly swinging it around and knocking Buggy across the head. It seemed like Buggy meant to have the head separate so as to avoid being hit, but he was a smidgen too late, as the pole made contact with skin, and Buggy wilted before everyone's eyes, falling to the ground.

Luffy gave a smirk, before reaching over, and punching Buggy straight across the face, causing him to go completely unconscious.

"He beat Captain Buggy in two moves..." One of the pirates around them whispered in horror.

"Looks like it's 1 to 0, First." Luffy grinned, facing his swordsman with a smug air about him, especially considering when he looked, Luffy got to see Zoro with that look of shock still across his face, before the swordsman had the chance to pull himself together and hide his feelings.

Zoro didn't reply verbally, instead, he pulled out his swords, placed one in his mouth, and immediately started to fight.

Luffy laughed again, but swiftly joined Zoro in the fray. Though he didn't use any big attacks, mostly just swinging around his staff fluidly and knocking people out that way, though his style did involve a lot of kicking. Whenever the staff hit someone, Luffy's leg might come out and sock someone across the room with a powerful kick.

Then again, Luffy chooses when to kick randomly, so sometimes he wouldn't kick, even when he looked like he was winding up for one. The style of fighting was polished to be just as unpredictable as it's user. The way his body bent showed years of hard work in flexibility that almost never came naturally in a man. In all ways that mattered, Luffy was surely living up to his second name - Monkey.

When the fight ended, Luffy had taken out about three-fourths of the group, Zoro coming away with a fraction of that, but he was also the one who had taken out both Buggy's higher ranked fighters. It only took a few minutes though – Seeing as how the pirates were pretty weak against the full might of the Captain and First Mate. The comparison between the ability of the two crews was very embarrassing to make.

"Wow... I can't believe you actually did it." Nami admired, walking out of the base with two large bags of gold, though there didn't seem to be a map in per possession.

"Did you get the map of the Grand Line?" Luffy asked.

She scowled, "It wasn't a map, just a note saying that the secret to navigating the Grand Line was a special compass. Useless."

"Oh well, at least Zoro and I got some fighting and food out of this." Luffy shrugged, before grinning once again, "Nami, come join my crew. Come oooonnnnn~"

"Stop whining!" She snapped, but looked thoughtful for a moment, "Fine, we'll be allies, but the second that you pull anything that even resembles the actions of typical pirates, I'm leaving with all the treasure and not a second thought about it."

Luffy jumped for joy, literally, and turned to his first, "Zoro! We got a navigator!"

"She's gonna be trouble." Zoro cautioned, getting a sort of bad vibe off of her at some points.

"Mmmmmhhhh," Luffy thought over the words of his first, "Well, I have a good feeling about her, but I know that Zoro will protect me if something turns out bad."

Zoro flushed a bit at what Luffy said, taking in the faith his captain had in him, and deep down it built up a want to live up to that faith which would soon be unbreakable. Luffy really was the type of person that you didn't want to let down. That was aside from the fact that he already owed the Captain his life for what he did back in Shell Town.

"Y-You just beat the Buggy Pirates like it was nothing." The last Buggy Pirate stuttered out, in pain and barely hanging on to consciousness, "Just who are you, people?"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, and these are my crewmates, Roronoa Zoro and Nami. I'm the man who is going to become Pirate King." With that last sentence, Luffy knocked that guy out with a swift hit to the head, looking up to see that Zoro and Nami were already making their way to the docks, Luffy used a Soru to make his way over quickly.

He ignored the pain in his legs – Sooner or later, he would need to be stronger to help his crew, and if throwing in a few Soru as he walked would help him do that, would help him build that strength and ability than that was what the Captain would do.

"Just because I'm joining you for a little while doesn't mean I'm going to be part of your crew! We're allies, that's all."

Luffy just nodded along happily, making his way back toward the shore where their ship was. Sure, Nami was saying that now, but with her coming along, it wouldn't take too long for Luffy to talk her into becoming his full-time navigator. He'd have his way, he always did event


	4. Chapter 4

**Author Note:**  This is one of my favourite chapters thus far, but I get the feeling it's probably riddled with mistakes. I couldn't actually spot them, but it feels like there are far too many words in this chapter for me not to have added a ton of extra stuff and stuffed it full of unneeded wordiness. Still, in my head and heart, this chapter is the masterpiece that it was meant to be.

Leave your thoughts in a review, if I like them, they might be included.

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"How can you claim you'll become Pirate King with the conditions of your ship and supplies." Nami scolded, looking around the ship which was filled with a scant amount of fruits and vegetables with barely enough room for three people.

Luffy looks up and with a fully confident expression says, "Don't worry, we'll get someone to give us a bigger ship along the way."

"PEOPLE DON'T JUST GIVE PIRATES SHIPS!" Nami screeched, and Luffy was struck by how similar an expression she made to an angry Ace.

"She's right Captain." Zoro spoke up, making the two send surprised expressions toward him, "We'll never make it to the Grand Line without more booze."

Luffy thought it over for a moment, before nodding, "And meat."

"Are you kidding me?!" Nami exclaimed, before putting her face in her palm, honestly getting these muscle-heads to see reason was clearly not going to be an easy task, but still, with them along, she could easily get a lot more treasure gathered quickly, so long as she did it right, "Listen, if you're going to the Grand Line, you're going to at least need a better boat, more supplies, and at minimum a cook, though you should also get a doctor."

"And a musician!" Luffy chimed in.

"That's not what's important!" Nami scolding once more, before turning back to her map in order to make sure they were going the right way, "I'm directing us toward a small island that should have the supplies we need. It has a very low population, but they should have at least one good ship and plenty of food supplies."

"Sounds like a plan." Luffy confirmed, nodding, this face actually serious for once, "Someone will probably give us a boat there."

"YOU'LL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!"

Luffy fell to the ground laughing, holding his stomach and squirming with the force of it. Zoro started to laugh as well, apparently catching onto the fact that Luffy had meant for that to be a joke – Unlike Nami who actually believed him. She looked put out for a second before she covered her mouth as her own giggle escaped. This just made Luffy even lighter, making Nami happy was a good feeling, nearly as good as knowing that Zoro had his back.

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...

...

"Captain, you're staff that you used against Buggy, what happened there?" Zoro suddenly asked, nearly five minutes off the shore.

"It's made of Sea-Stone, it's a devil fruit users natural enemy. Gramps told me that only marines have this stuff usually." Luffy explained, thinking back to his time training with Gramps, an uncomfortable expression crossing his face, "I really don't like thinking of that time..."

"What do you mean?" Nami asked, curious despite herself. The whole time that she had known Luffy he seemed to not be bugged by anything, then all the sudden he started to look uncomfortable, it must have been something big to make him feel that way.

Luffy puffed out his cheeks in reluctance, but replied anyway, "Gramps talked about that kind of thing well training me in the mystery power stuff... But Gramps training is hell."

Before any more questions could be asked, they made landfall on the beach, pulling the ship all the way up onto the land so that it wouldn't be taken out by tide – As there wasn't a place to dock it, and they didn't much feel like swimming out to it by using the anchor.

Luffy could sense some people on the island landing, but they didn't seem to really be a treat. Some of them even felt like the kids back at Goa, and though Luffy didn't like to underestimate kids like some people did, the likelihood that they could damage him was extremely low. So Luffy didn't even bother to warn his fellows.

Maybe Luffy had underestimated them a bit because shots were fired soon after. They were toward Luffy's feet and were easily deflected by some swift flicks of his staff, but they were extremely well aimed.

"I am the leader of the Pirates who has claimed this village as our territory. If you come any closer, I, and my thousands of subordinates will kill you right where you stand!" One of the enemies spoke from the tree, having his weapon at the ready to fire again.

Luffy grinned widely, "SO COOL! I can only sense four of you with the mystery power! You must be really powerful to hide all of your men like that!"

"Y-YES! We are so strong that you can't even sense our power level! I have such control that I can carefully show only a sliver of my true ability!" The long-nosed teen proclaimed, puffing out his chest, though his legs were shaking.

"First! Looks like we can have another competition." Luffy challenged, raising a fist up, his other hand holding his staff out to the side.

Zoro thumbed his blade with a bloodthirsty grin, popping it out of its home, "This time I won't let you take only the weak ones, Captain, you dirty cheating devil."

Nami came up from behind them and slapped them both upside the head, "YOU IDIOTS! He's clearly lying! You even said that you could only sense four!"

Luffy turned toward Nami with tears in his eyes from the surprise of the pain and whined, "But Naaammmmiii~ Why would he lie about that?"

"Tch, I thought that might be the case," Zoro claimed, allowing his sword to fall back into place, his expression evening out.

Nami sent him a look of disbelief. That swordsman was carried away by the thought of a challenge and totally forgot his own senses. God, the meat-heads she was watching over were so short-minded.

"So the thousand was a lie, but don't get it twisted! The four of us that you sensed are actually powerful warriors!" The long-nosed guy claimed again, looking more and more nervous.

Luffy perked up at this, "Zoro the competition is back on!"

The long-nosed guy quickly stuttered back, "W-w-wait! I was lying I was lying! Don't kill us!"

The long-nosed teen scrambled out of the bushes and into sight. Luffy blinked a few times, studying the figure, before an enthusiastic grin spread across his mouth, "I know you! You're Yasopp's son, Usopp!"

"You know my dad?!" Usopp shouted, looking earnestly keen to find out just what Luffy knew.

"Shishishishi, let's talk over some meat."

With that, the four went into town, the kids that Luffy had been sensing running off to do something else as they entered a restaurant. It was a familiar sort of aura to it. Like a place where the majority of the town visited when they wanted to go out – Like Makino's bar.

"I met your dad when I was really young. Back then I was hanging out with Shanks in Makino's bar a lot. Shanks and his crew saved Makino and me, and Shanks even trained me, giving me this hat and the staff." Luffy stated, in between taking bites of meat, "Your father was one of Shanks most trusted crew members, the best sniper in the world with a huge bounty! He could hit anything, even said he could take the wings off a fly at 100 meters away."

Nami looked somewhat morose as the story continued, Luffy wondered why but thought it might be better to just change the subject instead.

"Nee, Usopp, we need a ship, do you know somewhere we can get one on this island?"

"There is only one ship on this island, and it belongs to a really sickly girl," Usopp stated though he did seem like he was holding something back.

"If she's sickly than she probably doesn't need the ship, we should just ask her about it." Luffy provided, looking pretty confident in the idea.

Zoro sat there, drinking the booze that he ordered and just watched Usopp get more uncomfortable at the thought of Luffy meeting this girl, and wondered just what that was about.

"You can't!... I mean... I have to go somewhere, don't worry though, the meal is on my tab." Usopp provided, before running off.

A pout came to Luffy's mouth but Usopp was already out of the building before Luffy could call out, and Luffy certainly couldn't leave the meat uneaten to follow after him. By some miracle, Luffy fit the whole humongous piece of meat into his mouth, which had even Zoro giving him a weird look.

"How is that even possible..." Nami muttered to herself, watching with something near disgust.

"Gramps taught me that you have to fill your stomach completely before leaving the table." Luffy stated, and before anyone could blink, Luffy's hand had quickly flashed over to Zoro's plate, taking his piece of meat and stuffing that into his mouth as well and spoke with his mouth full, "Dadan taught me that sometimes you have to take the meat to have the meat!"

"Who the hell raised you?" Nami whispered in horror. Who taught kids like that?

"Mountain Bandits." Both Luffy and Zoro provided in sync, and Zoro's hand snuck over to Luffy's place, taking his cup of alcohol which hadn't been touched. Luffy didn't like to drink unless it was a party – So he wasn't keeping an eye on the drink like he did his food, but that didn't mean he didn't glare at his First when he noticed it missing.

Still, rules of the table said if you could take it, then it was yours. Nothing Luffy could do about it.

...

...

...

"Zoro is such a funny guy!" Luffy laughed as they made their way toward the only place that looked like they had enough money to actually have a ship.

Zoro gave a snort of amusement as he remembered messing with those kids. It was even funnier when they turned to Nami and thought that she was the witch – Honestly, those kids couldn't have called it better. Nami did seem like the cunning and type to be prone toward betrayal, as far as Zoro could tell from her current actions. A witch was a very apt term.

Nami was walking along as well, though she was grumbling to herself, rather upset with the way the brats had turned to her, inwardly, and extremely reluctantly, amused.

There was a big gate in their way, locked as it was, Luffy stood in front of it puzzled as to what to do. It would be easy to break, but Makino said that you should always try and be extremely polite before you asked someone for a favour. Thinking it over was frustrating as well because Luffy preferred to react rather than plan, the thinking was boring.

Well, when in doubt, when you can't go through, go over.

Luffy grinned suddenly, which had Zoro bracing himself for whatever stupid plan that would follow, already knowing his captain pretty well, Nami just went on oblivious.

"Hold on, I can open –"

Before Nami could continue, Luffy had grabbed and thrown her into the air, catching her shirt on the side of his staff, and grabbing Zoro by his arm, and kicked up.

Nami was screaming in fright, though Zoro was pretty blank in expression, there was a slight enlargement of his eyes as Luffy jumped a good twenty meters into the air while holding the both of them. Their reactions helped Luffy to cover the pain with humour, and he wanted to practice the powers more, but this probably was pushing it for a start.

They landed in a crouch, right next to a surprised Usopp and what seemed to be a butler type person. Luffy let go of his crew, and once he saw the girl who seemed to be the sickly one Usopp had described he smiled.

And bent backwards after placing his hat on his chest, "Please give us a ship."

Everyone stared at him in confusion.

The sick girl was the first one to speak up though, "U-um... What are you doing, if you don't mind me asking?"

Luffy straightened himself out, "Bowing! Makino said that it was important when you wanted to ask someone for something."

Nami felt her eye throb in something that was clearly becoming a habit around this crew, and slapped him around the head again, "THAT'S THE WRONG WAY AROUND!"

"Dadan told me that too but I'm sure she was lying! The saying is 'bend over backwards for someone'!" Luffy defended, he had spent a while thinking about this, he had to be right about it.

Zoro howled laughter, "And you said I was the funny one, Captain!"

"ENOUGH!" The butler guy said, "I won't have this tomfoolery around the young mistress! She can't handle this sort of excitement!"

"Klahadore it's okay, I'm strong enough for guests today." The woman spoke.

"I must object Miss Kaya, these ruffians would be far too dangerous company!" Klahadore supplied, before turning toward the pirates, "Now please leave, and take the son of that fool pirate with you!"

Luffy tried to muffle a snicker but wasn't exactly able to.

"What is it that you are finding so funny about this situation?" The black-haired butler asked.

"The idea that Yasopp, the most well-known sniper in the world and crew mate to a Yonko would be considered either foolish or weak by someone." Luffy supplied, with another snicker. Shanks had told him a bit about the way the Grand Line worked, although mostly it was just things that he had heard his Gramps or Shanks say in passing to other people that really shaped the things Luffy knew.

"As if someone no one from the East Blue could become a member of a Yonko's crew. Who do you think you are trying to fool?"

Luffy just looked at the man blankly, starting to get annoyed with him, "Some no name from the East Blue, sort of like Gol D. Roger was?"

"I don't know where you got this information –"

"My brother and no one would know better than him." Luffy supplied in full confidence. Of course Ace would know where his own father came from, there was no doubt in Luffy's mind that Roger was from the East Blue and started with nothing. What happened after that was a different story, Ace didn't know how the man made a name for himself or anything like that, but that was beside the point.

"Then your brother is a liar."

Luffy reached over and punched the guy straight in the jaw, and could hear that jaw crack under his fist. Kaya let out a gasp of horror, and everyone else stood completely still in surprise and horror.

"My brother is a lot of things, but a liar isn't one of them, especially not when it comes to that subject," Luffy spat out, his hat shadowing his eyes, before he forced himself to calm down and allowed his eyes to drift away from the unconscious man and toward Kaya, "Sorry about this Miss. We'll be around town if you decide that you want to give us the ship, but I don't want to be around dirt like that."

As he said the word dirt, Luffy looked down at the man he'd knocked uncurious.

Luffy walked out after saying that, not looking back, because he didn't need to in order to know that Zoro was trailing behind him without a seconds pause.

The second that they were out of the compound, Luffy reached out and punched a tree, trying to work out some aggression, the tree easily ripped out of the ground and broke. It didn't actually help though, Luffy could still feel how strung up he was. Zoro was watching the whole thing with a look of consideration.

"With strength like that, you could have easily broken that guys neck with that punch," Zoro noted.

Luffy could feel his teeth grit together at the mention of what had happened, "I had to really control myself. It's easier when I use the staff to keep my strength from killing weaklings, but sometimes I really just want to kick peoples asses."

Zoro took in what was being said, and pulled all three swords out of their homes and took up a battle stance with, "Spar with me, Captain?"

Luffy looked over to his first with a considering expression, before looking down at the staff he was still clenching tightly in one of his hands, and held it to the side, putting himself into a more solid stance, "Zoro wants to help me work off some energy? What a good First I have."

Normally a laugh might have followed those words, but instead, Luffy took that chance to pounce toward his opponent.

It was difficult to face so many swords, was the first thing that Luffy thought as he fought his First. It forced him to be faster than he normally would have because it was three instead of just one. Without the use of his mysterious powers, Luffy wasn't really a good match to go against Zoro. He even had to use the sensing mystery power to help him along, though Luffy didn't use the others. The purpose here was to work out aggravation, not to win the spar.

Zoro hit one of the trees, and it split in half like it was butter.

The both of them shared a grin and clashed again. It was nice to know that Zoro trusted Luffy to be strong enough to fight against the swordsman when without holding back.

...

...

...

The two fought for hours into the night, until both of them were panting and laying on the ground in exhaustion. Around them laid their weapons, only just out of their reach as the two of them stared at the sky. Luffy's bad mood had broke, and he was grinning once again. Zoro also had a wide grin on his face, despite the bruises that were littered across it.

"Thanks, Zoro." Luffy praised rolling onto his stomach and placing his chin on his hands as he observed his First, "I have a really bad feeling about that Kladork guy."

"Then we'll keep an eye out." Zoro supplied simply, not questioning his Captain's instincts as he pushed himself up into a seated position.

Before the conversation could continue, Nami and Usopp came bursting into the open area the two were sparring. Nami was breathing heavily, panting in exhaustion and placing her hands on her knees as she struggled to catch her breath. Usopp wasn't much different in that regard.

"Nami?! Usopp?! What's wrong?" Luffy asked, jumping up immediately, ignoring the little nicks that he gained in the fight when he was too slow to block.

"THE TOWN IS UNDER ATTACK!" Nami exclaimed, looking frantic, "You have to help! The townspeople – "

"Usopp?" Luffy said, turning to look right at the long-nosed sniper.

He had tears in his eyes, and he was still gasping for breath, clearly weaker in that area than even Nami, but he seemed desperate, his hand tugging on Luffy's wrist to get attention, "You... Have ... To... Help... PLEASE! I TRIED TO WARN THEM BUT THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE ME! PLEASE HELP BEFORE THEY DESTROY EVERYTHING!"

Luffy went silent, looking into Usopp's desperate eyes for a few moments, during this time Zoro was already collecting his swords and making sure his bandana was straightened correctly. He already knew his Captain's answer, or at least, heavily suspected it.

"I like those eyes," Luffy claimed, pushing Usopp's desperate grasping off his wrist, claiming his own limb back. "We'll help, after that, you have to join my crew though, shishishishi~!"

Usopp started crying, mixed in with bouts of thanks that they really didn't have time for. Zoro was already starting to walk, but Luffy quickly grabbed his swordsman's attention, "Wrong way, First!"

"Tch, I have no idea what you're on about," Zoro claimed, but the flush that one could barely just see was a giveaway.

With that sorted, they both started to jog toward the town. Usopp ran after them, not really knowing what else to do, just knowing that he had to help, otherwise what right did he have to ask for it?

Nami watched their backs as they made their way, and just for a moment wondered what her life could have been like if she had someone like them to turn to when Arlong first came to her home. A thought which was quickly abandoned under a new determination. Pirates being here meant a ship, which meant treasure. It was too late for her to get help from the likes of Luffy and Zoro, instead, she would have to help herself, and she knew exactly how to do it.

...

...

...

The sight that they were met with was one of the hundreds of pirates attempting to knock the doors of the townspeople in. It didn't seem like anyone had been killed yet, but that was likely due to the fact that the town had noticed the group coming up and locked their doors. Not something that would last long, considering the way those pirates were banging on the door.

"You're attacking my sniper's town," Luffy stated, his voice carrying across the jeers easily. His First was right behind him, his swords already pulled out, "He came to me in tears asking for help."

"Just who the hell are you?!"

"My name's Monkey D. Luffy, I'm the man who is going to become King of the Pirates," Luffy stated, but it lacked the usual good humour in it, instead Luffy was angry. No one hurt his crew, and that was what Usopp was the second he agreed to join with those determined eyes over the fate of this town, "And you? You're the people who hurt my liar."

Laughs started to erupt, "What are you going to do about it?! The two of you against over 100 strong?"

"I'll kick your asses," Luffy stated, his voice so matter of fact that it had several of the pirates starting to sweat.

Who said something like that with such confidence.

"Captain?" Zoro asked through his mouth full of a sword, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

"You want to go at them Zoro? I know you are worth a thousand of these weaklings." Luffy stated, turning his back to the enemy without care.

The grin he got in return was telling. So Luffy just nodded, and for the first time since seeing those tear-filled eyes, he gave his signature smile, wide as it ever was, "I'm counting on you, First."

"Pfft, as if you couldn't destroy these guys easily on your own." Zoro contended, but ran into the fray after, slicing away, taking five in a single swing as if it was no big deal. Ultimately, Zoro completely destroyed the whole crew in nothing but a few minutes. Luffy was sort of hoping that it wouldn't be a continuing thing because without challenge it wasn't fun. Sure, he had a great deal of pride for having the greatest swordsman in the East Blue on his crew, but that didn't mean Luffy wanted their adventures to be without obstacle.

"Zoro! That guy looks like he's about to do something weird!" Luffy called out, pointing to some weirdo swinging around a pocket watch.

Zoro made quick work of him as well less than a second later.

"S-Sorry Captain Kuro... We couldn't beat them...They were just too strong..." One of the pirates managed, just as the butler from before stepped out and into the light, revealing himself.

"Seems that you're feeling was right, Captain," Zoro confirmed, tightening his grip on his swords.

Luffy could feel his jaw clench filled with the beginning of anger at seeing his smug face again, an anger that continued to grow the second he opened his mouth to say, "Too strong? No, you're just too weak. I'll take care of this, if you get caught in the crossfire, then it's what you weaklings deserve."

"Oi, Zoro!" Luffy called out, "Switch out with me! I want to beat his ass!"

Zoro looked over at his Captain with a raised eyebrow but complied simply enough. He pushed his swords into place and started to walk over to his Captain, as Luffy started to make his way toward the battlefield. Just as they went to pass each other, Luffy handed Zoro his staff, trusting that his First would protect it while Luffy let loose on this asshole.

"Klahadore! I didn't believe it but you really are! You are a pirate!" Luffy could faintly hear Kaya cry out, ignoring Usopp telling her to stay back.

"Don't worry, I'm about to kick his ass!" Luffy claimed, pointing toward his chest with his thumb.

Kuro, as it were, just gave a smirk, "I had to let you hit me before to keep my cover, I am no longer at such a disadvantage."

"Yeah, so what? I'm still gonna kick your ass!" Luffy claimed, "I had to keep myself from clean breaking your neck with my punch, you don't hear me going around bragging!"

Luffy ran toward Kuro, and let loose a punch that he'd previously tried to keep under control. The Strawhat Captain could feel his eyes widen in shock when Kuro actually managed to dodge it. It seemed to be about the same speed as Soru if Luffy had to estimate. Unfortunately, that meant Luffy's punch when clean through the wall behind Kuro, abruptly causing it to break into splinters as it a cannon had been shot through it.

"Oioioi, how can that Monkey kid have such a strong punch." One of the downed pirates whispered in horror.

Luffy narrowed his eyes at his enemy, "You're pretty slippery."

"You'll never be able to hit me with your pathetic level of speed."

Muscles tightened and readied themselves to meet that challenge, as Luffy used Soru to close the gap between him and the other Captain. If there was pain, it was completely ignored in favour of the pure determination to win this fight that Luffy felt fill him. Not only was his liar's town at stake, but there was no way that Luffy could allow himself to lose to someone like this.

Kuro dodged about, but it wasn't of any consequence, as Luffy could sense the man no matter where he went. So the second Luffy's feet hit the ground, he burst off in another Soru right after the man.

SLAM!

Luffy felt his fist come into contact with flesh, and for a moment, he felt a grin spread across his face, at least, before Luffy realized just who it was be had punched. Instead of taking the punch himself, Kuro had guarded himself with one of his own downed crew members.

The man dangled there, his ribs likely in tatters due to the hit he had taken from an unrepentant Luffy's fist.

Looking down toward his own fist, Luffy thought back to how long it had been since he accidentally set his strength against the wrong person. It had been a long time since he was maybe five and didn't actually know just how strong he was.

"I hate people like you." Luffy spat out, his eyes even more fired up than before, and Luffy could feel his fist clenching even farther, the mysterious power crept into it under Luffy's command, and Luffy had no intention of letting it go to waste.

Fast as Kuro was, he had nothing on the angered Luffy, he might have stood a chance in the start, but that was only because Luffy hadn't used Soru in combat before. Never let it be said that Luffy wasn't a genius in at least one regard though – He quickly assimilated anything which had to do with fighting like the natural that he was. Being able to see like Luffy was when using that high-speed technique had utterly outclassed the Cat Captain.

He laid on the ground, his body blooded, and Luffy had given him the same hit the Cat Captain had so thankfully pushed his own crew member into.

That, along with another thunderous punch across his cheek, though Luffy had forced his strength down for that. He didn't want to kill the guy, just beat the absolute shit out of him.

Luffy turned toward the crew, "Take him, and don't ever come back to my liar's town."

They shuffled forward, pulling themselves up despite the pain Zoro had dealt them, in order to avoid getting hit by Luffy, in all likelihood.

Once all the pirates were off to their ship and leaving the town, Luffy allowed himself to sit on the ground with tears of pain in his eyes, though he stopped them from falling, it still had a watery effect as the Captain started to rub his leg muscles trying to ease the pain and tension that they went through during that fight.

People started to hesitantly come out of the houses, looking a mixture of hopeful, but the fear lingered in the air.

"You're pirates too though, right?" One of the kids that were with Usopp asked standing before Luffy.

One of the adults went to grab the kid out of the way, but Luffy just gave the kid a friendly grin, "Yep! Usopp is going to join the Strawhat Pirates now! You should be really grateful, he loves this village a lot!"

"So you won't try to destroy this place?" The adult that came to grab the kid added, though he did pull the kid farther away from Luffy.

A Luffy who looked confused, "Why would I do that? Doesn't sound like much fun. Besides I just said that Usopp liked this place, are you stupid?"

The bluntness of the question and the weird ease with which Luffy was taking the questions had people relaxing not even a second later.

"In that case is there any way that we can repay you?"

"MEAT!"

Though none of the other Strawhat Pirates could see it, Nami had abruptly facepalmed at just how simple minded that Captain could be sometimes, before grabbing the twin bags full of treasure that she managed to acquire from the Cat Pirates before they made their speedy escape.

...

...

...

"I'm sorry that I thought the worst of you after what you did to Kla-Kuro when we first met." Kaya apologized, leading Luffy and his crew to their surprise, "I wanted so badly to believe that he was someone who cared about me that I completely ignored any signs..."

"Don't worry about it! I got to beat his ass, so I'm okay with it." Luffy stated.

Luffy was holding his staff behind his neck, arms over his shoulders, as was the most casual stance one could take when travelling with one. Nami was carrying around the bags of gold that she had gotten from the Cat Pirates before they escaped, and Usopp was beaming, even though his knees were slightly shaking, for what reason was beyond Luffy. As for his First – Well, he was trying his best to ignore what was going on around them, one hand covering his eyes in hopes of blocking out the bright light around them.

In other words, his First was hung over.

Luffy tried not to tease him too badly about it.

You know, after he woke Zoro up by screaming in his ear.

The new cut that Luffy had on his cheek was worth it.

They were lead through trees and toward the coast. Sat there was a caravel ship with a lamb figurehead. It seemed to be the sort of ship that had a weird amount of character about it, just sat there, figurehead grinning, waiting for someone to come along and make it their home.

"This is my apology. Since I'm going to stay here and become a doctor, I want to gift you guys this ship. It's named the Going Merry." Kaya stated, her butler at her side, her true butler, who someone looked a lot like the ship.

"SHISHISHISHISHI! NAMI! I GOT GIFTED A SHIP!" Luffy exclaimed, jumping up to the ship without a care, quickly running around the

"If he had a longer-term memory, I would think he'd hold it over me for the rest of the time I was travelling with him," Nami muttered to herself, before turning toward Kaya and Merry, asking for direction on how to actually navigate and control the ship. Clearly, the meat-heads weren't going to be the ones that managed to get that ship going somewhere.

Zoro had made his way after Luffy, though he looked like he'd be anywhere other than near the hyperactive childlike captain at that moment.

Usopp was standing there, legs shaking, just kind of looking at the ship.

"Aren't you gonna go join the idiots?" Nami asked, hand on her hip.

"Y-YES OF COURSE! I mean, you know, maybe not. He probably doesn't want me on his crew, after all, besides, I'm Captain Usopp! I have my own pirate crew you know!" Usopp started, but before he could continue, Luffy jumped back down from the ship.

"Usopp come on! Merry is great!" Luffy enthused, "Let's go!"

"I was just s-saying that maybe Captain Usopp the Brave should go his own way –"

"You're my liar!" Luffy sudden exclaimed, looking sort of exasperated as if wondering just why his new crew member would second guess his joining, but before Usopp could say something back Luffy acted in his liars best interest.

Clearly, he just needed a little bit of sense beat into him.

SLAM!

Luffy's fist met the top of Usopp's head. Not too hard, but definitely enough that it would smart. Not even as hard as Gramps hit Luffy as a kid, so the Captain knew his newest crewmate would be okay.

"You're one of us!"

After that exclamation though, Luffy let out a gasp of horror and fell to his knees. He just stared at his hand in silent shock, unable to even hear his crews prodding.

"No... No I can't believe I've done it again..." Luffy whispered before tilting his head up, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Oi Captain! You're worrying your liar and navigator." Zoro interrupted the pity fest, "What happened?"

Luffy whimpered to himself and curled around his knees, "I used it... The Fist of Love..."

The Captain was pretty inconsolable, but Usopp and Nami packed themselves into the ship during the Captain mourning the innocents of his precious fist. It took hours for Luffy to snap himself out of it, and when he did, every time it was mentioned, he gained a look of horror and swiftly changed the subject. It didn't take very long for the crew to learn that it was a forbidden subject.

Luffy's trauma aside, the crew now had a Captain, a First Mate, Navigator, and a Sniper. Things were coming along for the Strawhat Pirates!


	5. Chapter 5

 

"Can any of you guys paint?" Luffy asked out of nowhere as they sailed closer to the Grand Line, though Nami was adamant that they stop at the island before the Grand Line to hire a chef.

Zoro didn't even bother to lift his head up from where he was napping, Nami was too concentrated on making sure they directed the ship correctly, but Usopp immediately hoped up from where he was watching the waves over the side of the boat, "Captain Usopp is ready and able to help. My artesian abilities are well noted, I am even known on the island of art – Hand Island! They sing about my ability –"

"YOSH!" Luffy exclaimed, turning his back to Usopp and pointing at the jolly roger on the back of his jumpsuit that Makino had helped him back before leaving the village, "Make a flag for this and put the symbol on the sail as well!"

Despite all his claims toward being Captain, once he was ordered to do something Usopp hoped up and did it quickly – Thankful to be useful on the ship. Within an hour, Luffy was staring at his symbol,  _HIS ROLLY ROGER_ , flying free in the wind. The feeling of elation wasn't something Luffy had been expecting, but it was almost as if he was let out of a cage that had been holding him back.

For the first time since before he even met Shanks and knew what the word meant – Monkey D. Luffy felt  _free_.

It was also the first time that Luffy truly realized what his brother missed out on all those years ago, making him all the more determined to get his revenge at some point.

"Thanks, Usopp," Luffy said, in an uncharacteristically soft voice as he watched the flag swaying in the calm wind.

Zoro, though his eyes were closed, had quickly gained a grin at the sound of his Captain's tone. Sure, it sounded a lot more venerable than the Captain he'd first met back in that marine base, but there was something about that vulnerability that was stronger than anything Zoro had ever heard.

It had Nami giving a smile, despite the fact was originally giving the flag some nondescript looks of distaste.

Usopp just looked proud of his work. A genuine sort of pride, not like the type that he bragged about having. It was without any sort of pomp and circumstance, no puffed out chest and shaking legs, just a tilt of his head and a smile.

The moment was broken when Luffy turned toward his First, "Want to spar?"

Those eyes which were dozing off immediately snapped open with a bloodthirsty grin.

"I told you I had a dream that I would stop at nothing to achieve, but did I ever tell you what it was?" Zoro asked, standing across from his Captain, sword in mouth, with the other two drawn out in each hand.

"Nope!"

"I'm going to become the world's best swordsman," Zoro stated, and throughout his life people had scorned his dream, told him it was impossible, someone from the East Blue wouldn't ever be able to face Hawkeye, never mind actually win that fight.

Luffy just looked at his swordsman as if he was expecting it, "Of course, only the best from the First of the future Pirate King. If you couldn't achieve at least that much, I would have to be ashamed of myself as a Captain."

With that, the two leap at each other, swords and staff swinging in a furious dance of blocking and attacking that few, if anyone, in the East Blue could compete with. The two could easily spar for hours, but instead of keeping it purely psychical like last time, Luffy was throwing in some Soru as practice. Sometimes he even used them to traverse the ship, and he was making a great deal of improvement with the technique. It was a slow sort of improvement, but improvement none-the-less. Of course, there were still the other types of powers that he needed to practice – but one thing at a time.

"Help! Help us please!" A cry from below sounded, interrupting Luffy and Zoro during their spar.

Both of them turned to glare in the direction the sound came from, causing Nami to sigh and look over the side herself. Two men, one of which seemed to be on the brink of dying due to sickness.

"Hey! Help me carry these guys up!" Nami ordered, Luffy scowled at this, he hated being ordered around - especially after just gaining his  _freedom_  - and was about to say that, but then Zoro looked over the edge and saw who it was.

"Johnny? What's wrong with Yosaku?!" Zoro exclaimed, a worried look slamming over his face.

Luffy no longer had any compunction over helping them, a friend of his First, or any of his crewmates, was a friend of their Captain. Working together, they had Johnny and Yosaku aboard the ship within the minute, Yosaku seemingly incredibly unhealthy, to the point of keeling over. Zoro looked even more worried at this, though Nami looked more thoughtful than anything. Luffy had to admit, having a doctor on board would have helped with this, Nami might have had a point when she mentioned that a doctor was more important than a musician.

"He's got scurvy." Nami suddenly commented and turned toward Usopp and Luffy, "He's missing Vitamin C, go grab some limes and squeeze them into his mouth."

Luffy fought the urge to stiffen and utterly refuse to obey the order, instead, putting the health of his First's friend before his own wants, and going to get the fruit. Being ordered around so soon after clearly displaying a sure sign of his freedom to the world was still irksome.

After getting the limes, Usopp and Luffy started to wring them out in the guy's mouth, and if Luffy was understanding it correctly, these limes were this guys meat, so he should be fine in a few minutes.

As they watched some life return to Yosaku's cheeks, Luffy sat down and crossed his legs, turning toward his First, "So, how do you know these guys?"

"After I left my home island I was travelling around looking for someone. Eventually, I needed to get paid so I started to take in bounties, I met these two doing that."

"You mean you got lost, right First?" Luffy teased.

Zoro turned his head to the side and looked out to the ocean, "Tch."

"Zoro-aniki! I can't believe you joined pirates. Why?" Johnny asked, though his eyes didn't leave his partner.

"This Captain of mine saved my life, and he's got an ambition that meshes well with my own," Zoro stated, though it was underwhelming when compared to just how easily and quickly the trust and loyalty had grown between Captain and First Mate within a matter of days.

"Hey!" A voice called from, "Who is the Captain of this vessel?"

Luffy stood up and walked over to the side of his ship, looking over to the marine vessel which was hailing them down for attention, "I'm the Captain, what do you want?"

If it sounded rude, Luffy didn't care, these were marines after all.

"I see that you are flying a jolly roger, is this a sign that you are a pirate, or are you just using this vessel?" The pink haired man on the ship spoke, seemingly the one in charge. There was a sort of arrogant air around him that Luffy immediately disliked.

"I'm a pirate." Luffy stated simply, not bothering to lie, and waved to them with his typical smile, "My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and you are?"

"Lieutenant Fullbody, not that it will matter in a minute. Sink that ship, men! They are confirmed pirates!" The marine continued, turning his back to Luffy.

Luffy scowled at them but turned back to the injured man still on his ship, and as Shanks and Makino had taught him, that sometimes came before his own anger, "I have an injured friend on this ship, could you please not try to attack me?"

"No." Fullbody answered without pause, "FIRE!"

The Captain of the Strawhat pirates watched as the cannon came closer, and noticed that it was directly to the deck of the ship, if he were to dodge, it would hit Yosaku, which Luffy simply wouldn't allow. Instead, he braced himself, both his feet, but mostly is hand, which he flooded with the mystery power – causing it to taint the slightest bit grey as Luffy held his hand out. The cannon made contact with his hand, and Luffy was pushed slightly against the deck, his sandals slipping, but he kept his stance. The cannonball spun in his hand, reluctant to stop its movement, but having no choice under the determination of Luffy's will.

"H-he caught it?!" Nami exclaimed, looking utterly shocked, her jaw gaping slightly.

"That's my Captain," Zoro confirmed, not looking in the least bit panicked throughout the whole ordeal.

Usopp's knees were shaking, but he was looking at Luffy with stars in his eyes, "COOL! A-ahem, of course, I do that on my bad days with far more ease, but it is still decently impressive."

"I asked politely. Now you made me act like Gramps to protect my crew and made me angry." Luffy mused to himself, looking damn near heartbroken over his own actions. He tossed the cannonball in hand as if it was nothing more than a child's toy, before taking it back in hand firmly, and throwing as hard as he could, "TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!"

The cannon went through the marine ship and Luffy turned toward Nami, "Get us out of here."

After those words left his mouth, Luffy fell to his knees and allowed the horror to fully encapsulate him. He had acted like his Gramps again, the depression that came with it was a punishment that Luffy deserved for his actions.

...

...

...

"Lieutenant Fullbody, the repairs are underway!" One of the marines spoke, "Should we follow them?"

The pink haired man was scowling, a mess over the fact that some no-name pirate acted so nonchalantly when faced with marines. Then again, what had he said his name was? A relation to that famous man would certainly explain it, "Yes, follow after them. Tell me, did he say that his name was Monkey D. Luffy?"

"Yes, and we got a picture of him. Should we send it to headquarters?"

"Yes, and make sure to take note that what he did with the cannonball. I think it can be assumed he might be related to that monster vice-admiral, Garp the Fist." Fullbody mused, allowing the want for revenge to build up in him. Oh, the payback would be great, especially if the teen ended up actually being related to that marine hero. He would certainly get a promotion for his actions.

"Oh, and send them the picture of Roronoa Zoro, seems he is entangled in with the Strawhat Captain."

...

...

...

"So I've thought it over, we should find a cook before we go any farther," Luffy announced, though he did still seem to be carrying around some of the depression, shown in the uncharacteristically low dip of his shoulders.

Yosaku and Johnny had somehow made their way into the meeting room that was meant to be the Captain's quarters. Yosaku had made a pretty big comeback from the way he arrived, even able to stand up and talk, though he was nowhere near well enough to make it to the next island without a lift from the Strawhat's, so Luffy had promised to provide it. After all, they were Zoro's friends.

"If you're looking for a strong cook, you should go to the Baratie. They are rumoured to have battle cooks who can beat even the best pirates." Yosaku mentioned, wanton to pay back the favour done to him by the pirates.

Luffy grinned, "Sounds like a plan, we can search there. Nami?"

"As if I would have a problem getting us there." Nami claimed, looking proud of her ability, pulling out a few different maps and rechecking her compass, "I'll have us there by tomorrow."

With that, the crew scattered out of the room, knowing that Nami became a bossy sort you didn't want to be around when she was doing her navigating. Better to leave her alone and only take the orders when they were truly needed unless you wanted to get snapped at.

Zoro was immediately leaning against the wall on the deck next to the room they had just exited. Luffy looked at him for a second before taking the seat next to him.

"Need something, Captain?" Zoro asked, his voice low and lazy, preparing himself for another one of his naps.

Luffy smiled, "Nope!"

It might be nice to take a nap next to his First, Luffy decided as he watched the man fall into slumber. Luffy had missed sleeping near someone after Ace had left. Before that he and Ace would always sleep in the same area. Even farther back Ace, Sabo, and Luffy would share even a blanket.

First Mates was a bond that was near brotherhood, and it made Luffy want that sort of company he'd had with his brothers

So he dozed off next to his First. The two weren't so much as touching, but somehow, it still felt nice for the company.

...

...

...

The Baratie was an interesting place, that much was certain. A restaurant in the middle of the ocean was an idea that maybe would find far too cumbersome to pull off – which might be why the restaurant seemed so popular. From what the Strawhat's could tell, the whole place was damn near filled out. The inside of the place made Luffy's skin itch a little bit. It looked far too fancy for a place to get meat – He wasn't one of those nobles in High Town, but still, meat was meat.

They sat themselves at one of the only tables that were actually open, and soon enough a blonde came over, at first, the guy seemed calm and slow moving, but the second he laid an eye on Nami, he rushed over leaving dust in his wake, his eyes shining as he looked at her, "Welcome to the Baratie, you're unflinching beauty has certainly caught the attention of the room, my name is Sanji, might I know your name?"

"Nami –"

Suddenly a man stepped into the restaurant, Luffy scowled at the man, recognizing him from his agonizing depression after he'd acted like his Gramps. It was Fullblood!

"I'm with the marines, we have Intel saying that a new Pirate Captain under the name Monkey D. Luffy might be dinning here and – "

They said karma was a bitch, because Sanji walked over to the man and stopped him midsentence, "You should never interrupt a woman like you just did. Now take that marine business out on the ocean, in this restaurant, you can eat here no matter if you are a pirate, criminal, or marine."

"Lieutenant Fullbody! The Don Pirates took the chance and gap of security needed to repair the ship to escape!" A marine ran in, panting with a look of shame spread across his face.

"WHAT?!" Fullbody gasped out, "I thought that we had a guard personally station there."

"We did, but even half starved he somehow managed to beat him – That pirate is a demon." The marine explained, as a shadow came behind him, and Luffy could feel it before it happened, the shadow pulled a flintlock and shot the marine in the back, walking in, somewhat stumbling, over to a table.

"Give me food, I don't care what kind." The guy spoke.

Sanji, as he introduced himself, had moved into the kitchen, even as the other cooks came out to see what the commotion was. Luffy grinned, and got up to follow the blonde, Zoro raised an eyebrow, silently asking if he should follow, but Luffy just nodded his head toward their navigator and sniper, telling his First to stay with them. The hungry man was thrown out of the restaurant by one of the cooks, and Luffy followed him out, completely ignoring Fullbody, who was sputtering uncontrollably, looking at his dead subordinate and complete disbelieve at the reaction that followed the shooting from the chiefs.

The man was collapsed on the deck, having difficulties even pushing himself up.

Luffy could remember being that hungry a few times – Especially before Ace and Sabo were around to help him.

"Here," Sanji said, stepping into the deck, and putting food in front of the wilting man.

The man reached out for it, even as his mouth spoke differently, "I won't take pity."

Luffy tried to snuff out a snort that wanted to escape him. This guy kind of reminded Luffy of Ace, Ace and his stupid pride.

"This isn't pitying, I'm a chief, and my job as a chief is to make sure that no one goes hungry, no matter who they are, or what they've done," Sanji explained, cigarette loosely held in his mouth, hands in his pockets as he stared down the man who was inhaling down his food like it was the best thing he'd ever tasted.

"Well said!" Luffy exclaimed, hopping into a better view of the two, "You should become my chief!"

"No," Sanji stated simply.

Luffy pouted, and whined out, "Come onnnn~ Join my pirate crew, we'll have tons of fun adventures on the Grand Line! We need a chief that's like you, I can tell, you're the best, and that's what I want on my crew. Pleeaaassseee?"

As Luffy said it, he bent backwards, taking his hat off and placing it on his chest.

"What are you doing?" Sanji asked, slightly angst of the attitude of the pirate in front of him. He'd never seen a more childish one, who tried to whine to get his way. Sure, there had been some violent ones, but never anything like this.

"I'm bowing."

"THAT'S THE WRONG WAY AROUND!" Sanji exclaimed, looking about ready to kick Luffy into the ocean for his idiocy.

"No way!" Luffy defended, but straightened himself out, "Anyway, you don't have to agree now, I'll stay here until you agree."

With that, Luffy walked back into the restaurant, his stomach growling in demand for meat, but by no means was it over. He found his chief, he wouldn't have anything less than Sanji.

Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and the two bounty hunters were waiting for Luffy, and the food was already at the table too. Luffy used Soru, to get there quicker, and for practice, and quickly started to fill his plate with no regard for manners. He even started to steal off his First's plate, not daring when it came to Nami because as a thief would notice and likely smack him for it, but Usopp and the bounty hunters were also easy targets.

"Ahhhhh~ That was some good meat!" Luffy exclaimed a few minutes later, completely demolishing the food that was ordered.

"It shouldn't be humanly possible." Nami whispered in horror, "Where does it all go..."

"So it that blonde our cook?" Zoro asked, knowing well the most likely motivation of Luffy following him outside.

Luffy gave a pout, "Not yet, but I'm not giving up. Eventually, he'll join."

Zoro snorted, remembering being forced to join under the threat of his life, "I'm sure he'll have no choice but to say yes at some point."

"That's the plan!" Luffy cheerily said, having no issues at all over how he picked up his First. He was a pirate, after all, some blackmail could be involved without it being bad.

The mood among the crew members was broken when another pirate meandered their way into the restaurant, looking just as hungry as the last one, and he was begging for food for himself and his men. This was a move that Luffy could appreciate, what was pride when your own people were in danger. What he couldn't appreciate, however, was the fact Luffy could sense the lie in those words. He didn't actually care about his people, he was after something else.

Luffy really hated deceptive people like that sometimes, especially when they were leveraging their crew in that deception.

Before Luffy could mention the lie, Sanji came out with a single plate of food and placed it in front of Krieg, letting the man eat. He scarfed down the whole thing in no time, though he swiftly moved on to asking for more so that he could feed his men.

"I see," Zoro stated, his eyes sharp as he watched the cook. Zoro would say that he understood the way that his Captain was thinking. That sort of cook was the type that even Zoro could appreciate. This felt especially heavy after having just come out of being starved by the marines, "Seems like a good choice, Captain."

"I know!" Luffy stated bluntly, a smile on his face at the blonde's actions, "Plus, now that he's eaten, I can totally kick his ass and not feel bad about it."

Nami's gave a rueful smile, "Of course that's what you're happy about."

"Do you think he might have some strong crew members?" Zoro asked, suddenly very interested in this Krieg guy, despite the fact he seemed like a weakling.

"Ehhh, I can't sense anyone too strong, but that could just be because they are hungry." Luffy replied, his face screwed in concentration as he tried to stretch out his mystery power, but sensing that far was hard, the concentration faded into a grin, "Even the Krieg guy is pretty weak! Looks like my First won't get to play this time because I call beating weakling Krieg's ass. Shishishishi~!"

"Just don't take too long then, I want to go and train soon."

"Oi, you idiots shut up!" Nami whispered frantically, looking at something before the two of them, standing right in front of them, that neither Captain or First had noticed.

"Shishishishi~ Look First, it's weakling-Krieg!" Luffy said, just pointing at the man standing in front without showing any worry.

"You looking to die, brat?" Krieg whispered, a furious furrow in his brow, "I'm known as the strongest pirate in the East Blue for a reason."

"Well, you won't be known as that after I beat your ass." Luffy pointed out, not at all caring that the man was towering over him, in a very clear attempt to intimidate.

Krieg started to walk away, just as the owner of the restaurant stepped out and dropped a bag on the floor, "Here's your food, now get out of my restaurant."

"Owner no!"

"What are you doing?! ISN'T WHAT SANJI DID ENOUGH?!"

The chiefs disagreed, though some of them still a little bit shocked from the way the two pirates had clashed together, they swiftly got over it in the face of their boss planning on allowing that pirate to get stronger. Krieg just picked up the bag and started to laugh deeply, "Don't think this is over Old Man, I'll be back to take this ship, and the first person I plan to kill is that rude brat who dares to call himself a Captain."

Luffy just sat there, picking at his ear, clearly, that guy wasn't talking about him, if anyone didn't know how to be a captain here, it was Krieg.

He left, leaving a tense atmosphere behind him, before Nami broke it with a screech, "You dumbass! How can you just calmly sit there and provoke a guy like that?!"

"It's because he's totally a weakling." Luffy claimed without fear, just looking up at his navigator, "Even after he ate, my mystery power barely picked up on him. He's weaker than Usopp."

"HEY!" Usopp snapped, looking mildly offended, but then he gained a smile because, despite the backhandedness of it, Luffy just said that he was stronger than the man who was considered the strongest in the East Blue, and that was a good feeling.

It was a tense few hours. Everyone was watching, waiting, as the Krieg pirates eat and powered themselves up.

The only three that seemed relaxed were Luffy, Zoro, and the owner of the place, Zeff.

Zoro had found some booze from one of the customers that had abandoned their food to flee for their life before the pirates attacked. Luffy had taken to doing something similar, eating peoples left over's without a care.

"CAN YOU TWO IDIOTS TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY?!" Nami screamed, pulling at her hair in panic, but it didn't help anything, of course, it didn't, those two were far too stubborn.

The pirates were starting to make their way over.

Nami couldn't risk it anymore.

She had to leave, with the ship and the amount of it, she had enough to buy her town from Arlong. The risk was too big to stay, those meat-heads weren't invincible and they were going against someone that matched Arlong in strength, even if it was only through numbers. As things started to heat up, she snuck out the back and onto the Going Merry. If the fists her hands made caused blood to fall on the deck, Nami didn't notice under her torrent of emotions from her betrayal toward the person who she without even noticing had started to acknowledge as her captain.

...

...

...

When Yosaku and Johnny came over with the news that Nami had taken the ship, Luffy just looked ahead blankly. There was no way that Luffy had read her wrong, he knew that Nami was a good person, she wasn't the type to betray them. If she was, Luffy never would have allowed her near the rest of his crew. She was too nice for pirates even, from the way she begged for the innocent people in Usopp's town. It didn't make sense, but then, Luffy wasn't really good at thinking things through –

"Captain...?" Zoro asked, looking for what Luffy wanted in this situation.

Luffy bit his lip, eyes widening when he felt something else. Someone just came, someone with a will stronger than Luffy, the mystery power made that absolutely clear, "First, take Usopp and go help Nami. There's a good explanation for it, I'm sure of it! I have to stay until Sanji joins up, besides I promised that guy an ass beating – "

"T-THAT'S DRACULE MIHAWK!" One of the chiefs exclaimed, pointing toward a singular boat in the ocean between the Baratie and the Krieg pirates.

Zoro started to drift toward the man, looking at him, and Luffy had seen something like that before in the mirror when he thought of being Pirate King, sure enough, Zoro spoke up, "That man... The World's Strongest Swordsman... My goal, it's right in front of me."

Zoro was disobeying his Captain, but Luffy didn't mind, in fact, he might have thought less of Zoro if he backed away from his dream just because of something his Captain said. Still, Nami probably needed help... It could wait until after Zoro got the chance at his dream.

"Keep it quick Zoro, Nami needs us." Luffy urged, and could feel a grin coming to his face when his First turned back to him and though no one else could likely see it, Luffy could tell he was grateful.

There was something else though.

Zoro was nowhere near his opponents level, and Luffy could tell that much with the mystery power. A weird feeling really, because Luffy knew he couldn't get in the way of his crew's dream and still feel like he was a good captain, but he also didn't think it was okay to let Zoro walk to his sure death.

Luffy could feel his muscles bunching up in a stressful way that the Krieg pirates came nowhere close to causing. His hand clutched at his staff and forced himself to stay still as Zoro walked over to the man he wanted to make his opponent.

"You're the World's Strongest Swordsman, right?" Zoro asked, tightening his bandana, and reaching for his swords.

The man seemed unthreatened, and it was no wonder, "That is me if you're after a fight, I stopped duelling with amateurs a long time ago."

"You're my goal, and I'm the strongest swordsman in the East Blue," Zoro stated, putting his sword into his mouth, the other two held in a skilful stance as he waited and hoped for the man to acknowledge him as a swordsman, if not anything else.

"Out of all the Blue's the East is known for being the weakest. Let's see if that has changed in recent years." Mihawk granted, pulling out a knife, rather than the sword that he was very clearly carrying on his back. Luffy fought the urge to shout at the man, his swordsman deserved more than that, but it wasn't his place, "This should be enough, I don't want to accidentally kill you."

Luffy could feel some of the tension he was still holding fade. Mihawk wasn't going to kill his First –

Zoro strode forward, and his pride as a swordsman was in his every step. He didn't like it, the fact that the swordsman wouldn't be using his blade, and thus, would have to try his best to prove himself worthy of it.

Luffy could remember Shanks mentioning this guy, now that Luffy thought back, Shanks used to duel Mihawk, this was the man who stood up to a Yonko for sparing. If he was Shanks friend though, then it was unlikely that Zoro would die, it was just more facts to back up what Mihawk himself had stated, and it helped to ease Luffy even more.

He didn't even flinch when Zoro was stabbed with a dagger, only stopping Johnny and Yosaku from jumping it, "This is his fight."

The whole place was watching the duel, and everyone knew that Zoro was going to lose. Zoro knew that Zoro was going to lose, but even then, he didn't walk away like he should. Instead, he stood up.

"Tell me, why don't you flinch away from your certain defeat?" Mihawk asked, curiously amused at the determination being shown.

"Beating you is my dream, and if I die getting there, then that means I was meant to. Don't get it twisted though, I have no intentions of dying! Like I would shame my Captain by not getting past at  _least_  this." Zoro said, and blood dripped from his mouth.

"Loyal to your Captain, huh?" Mihawk mused, the swordsman didn't ever have a Captain, but knew well the sort of strength that Captain's commanded with the loyalty of strong-willed people, "What does this Captain of yours think of your goal and fight here?"

"He's going to be Pirate King, said that if I couldn't accomplish at least this much then he would fail as a Captain. Maybe not today, but someday, I will beat you." Zoro stated in full confidence, getting ready to attack again, placing his sword more firmly in his mouth as he stared down his goal.

Luffy could feel a grin coming to his face from his First's words.

Mihawk smirked, and reached behind him, pulling out that huge sword of his, the strongest sword in the world, and spoke once again, "Such determination, tell me, what's your name?"

"Roronoa Zoro, First Mate of Monkey D. Luffy, Captain of the Strawhat Pirates." Zoro murmured, excited to see that blade, to fight that blade, to know the true level of how far he still had to go.

Mihawk internally smiled at the way the swordsman introduced himself, not separate, but instead as a part of his Captain. Such loyalty was rare outside of a spare few pirate crews, and those who had it were certain to be admired. At that moment, Mihawk understood why Shanks would be praising some random kid from the East Blue because he was looking at his own potential legacy in front of him.

"I'll remember that," Mihawk stated mysteriously, not giving away his intention to allow this person to grow.

They both sprung forward.

Zoro fell, blood spreading across the floor.

Luffy could feel his eyes widen in horror, because he had relaxed, he thought that his First would live, but he was on the floor, not moving, and Mihawk had just flicked blood of his sword as though it had dirtied that blade of his – and Luffy felt something build up inside of him that he had never felt before.

And it exploded outward, "ZOOOORRROOOOO!"

People started to faint, falling to the floor, to their knees, and Luffy observed the familiarity of the feeling from what he'd seen his brother do before, but it was a realization happening in the back of his mind because there was something far more important.

Luffy used Soru, and it was mindless, but he was stood before Mihawk and he swung his staff harder than he ever had before, putting his true strength behind it, a strength that he had apparently inherited from his grandfather, and Mihawk lifted his sword to block it.

The two pieces of metal met with a clang, but the force actually caused a wave of energy to erupt, the sea was disrupted, and Luffy could feel himself weakening in exhaustion, but he still pushed. Mihawk didn't show any such weakness, but there was a slight widening of his eyes displaying his surprise.

' _A haki user in the East Blue, a rookie pirate, but with the King's Disposition unlocked so young... Must be Roronoa's Captain. Seems the loyalty is shared..._  ' Mihawk spoke, his arm still blocking the haki infused force that had come against him, "Your swordsman will make a recovery."

Luffy blinked, "What?"

"He's too strong to die yet, don't you think?" Mihawk smirked out and Luffy could feel the relief spread through him.

Abruptly, Luffy dropped his staff and dropped down next to his first. Surely enough, now that he was calm, Luffy could feel his swordsman's will with the mystery power. He was struggling to keep his eyes open, but when he was met with Luffy's, the green haired swordsman allowed them to fall shut and just spoke, "I won't lose to anyone other than you from now on, got it, Captain?"

It was such a simple thing to say.

Yet somehow, it felt like a stronger bond than what they had started with, "Of course."

Luffy practically dragged his first over to the bounty hunters, who immediately started to fret over him, and Mihawk started to speak once again, "I'll be waiting for you Roronoa Zoro, once you are strong enough, come for my head, and we will truly fight then. You'll face many strong opponents on the Grand Line, grow from them!"

Mihawk turned toward Luffy, "You're Shanks little protégé, correct?"

"Eh?" Luffy asked in confusion, having no idea what that word meant, "I know Shanks, he trained me for a little bit, and gave me this staff."

"Interesting, and what is your goal?"

"I'm going to become Pirate King, didn't you listen to my First at all?" Luffy spat out, a bit angry that the man had already forgotten his swordsman's words.

"You really take after Shanks, huh?" Mihawk asked rhetorically, before turning around and starting to make his way toward the Grand Line, "Interesting."

Luffy could feel his eye twitching, that guy was really annoying, but there was more to do, and Luffy knew well that he couldn't actually beat the guy. He had never attacked someone harder than he just did, having put all his strength behind it, but that guy didn't flinch at all. Attacking him would be stupid, especially when he had Nami and his injured swordsman to worry about first.

He looked around and took in the sight of a lot of people have fallen over, including Krieg, some of the only people still awake included the people of his crew, Zeff, Gin, and a few of the cooks.

"Oh man, how boring." Luffy pouted out, "But hey, I can finally tell Ace I woke up that power."

Ace had been smug about the fact that he had a type of the mystery power than Luffy didn't have. Sure, Ace wouldn't let Luffy forge that it had taken years to awaken, but it was still better than not having it at all.

"Nee Sanji! I Join my crew!" Luffy suddenly spoke, striding up to the guy, trusting that the bounty hunters would feed Zoro enough booze to heal him.

"NO!"

"Come oooonnnn~!"

"ARE YOU PURPOSELY DENSE?!" Sanji ranted, forgetting his own shock at the opponents falling to the ground, beaten with what seemed to be nothing but a thought.

"Only if it gets me what I want!" Luffy cheered, moving into the restaurant as though something no one on the East Blue had ever seen before hadn't just occurred, "Do you think you could get me some meat?"

Sanji scoffed but went back into the kitchen. The chief did seem to give Luffy a weird amount of room after his little show. Though Luffy didn't really understand why he wasn't the type of person who would attack the people who feed him, he wasn't a monster.

"Luffy, what was that before?" Usopp asked as they waited for Zoro to get bandaged up so that the sniper and swordsman could follow after their wayward navigator.

"That was a different mystery power. It has to do with my will being stronger than other peoples or something like that. I don't know, I pretty much ignored Gramps whenever he was talking about it." Luffy admitted mildly sheepish but mostly unrepentant, "I actually thought he was lying about the mysterious powers even existing. I thought he made them up so that he could hit me in the name of training."

"So you just think about it, and people go unconscious?" Usopp stated with building excitement.

"Yep!"

"SO COOL!" Usopp exclaimed, looking at Luffy with awe shinning in his eyes, causing Luffy to give off a chuckle, though he did still feel pretty faint after that outburst he'd had.

"I know right?" Luffy commented after his chuckles died down, "I was so jealous when Ace could do it and I couldn't. Now go after our navigator, I will join you soon, I can tell that our chef will cave in soon. Oh, and try to make sure that my First doesn't get into any fights before he's healed up. Give him lots of booze to get him in tip-top shape."

"I'M NOT JOINING YOU!" Sanji yelled from the other room, apparently having heard Luffy, but the Captain just completely ignored the blonde with an easy grin. Usopp opened his mouth, thinking about telling Luffy that you didn't get magically healed by consuming your favourite foods, but closed it again when he realized that, for all Luffy and Zoro looked humans, they were clearly monsters, maybe those things DID heal them.

...

...

...

"Join me."

"No."

"Join me."

"Fuck no."

JOOOIINNNN MEEEEE!"

"SHUT UP YOU SHITTY POLE USING HAT WEARING BASTARD!" Sanji snapped at the Captain who was following him around all day, begging for the chef to join his pirate crew. All things considered, Sanji had dealt with the annoyance amazingly well. He'd only snapped at Luffy a few times, and Luffy took it even better, continuously refusing to take the refusals the chief was throwing at him, and asking every few minutes. Eventually, that answer would change from a no to a yes.

"The old man has even given you permission, come ooonnnn Sannnjiiii~!" Luffy whined out, completely ignoring his chef's anger.

"No."

"Plleeaassseee~"

"NO YOU BASTARD!"

A few more hours passed before it finally happened.

"PLLEAAASSSSS—"

"IF I SAY YES WILL YOU SHUT UP YOU SHITTY STRAWHAT BASTARD?!"

Luffy grinned at his chef, the man looked on the brink of sanity, but that wasn't surprising, the chances of Luffy letting up at all was low unless the man agreed to join. Come to think of it, Luffy pretty much always got his way eventually. Mostly because if someone didn't agree with him, well, he would just annoy them or force them into what he wanted.

"That sounded like agreement," Luffy commented, and that D grin was growing on his face as his chief just looked down, defeated.

"It's a yes, just shut up. At least you have that beauty on your ship~!" Sanji caved, and immediately perked up when realizing Nami was, in fact, a part of the crew that he would be a part of from now on.

"Shishishishishishi~!" Luffy snickered, but it wasn't as light as it normally would be, after all, his crew was split up, his First was badly injured, and Luffy himself was still exhausted from the use of the mystery power earlier. He would need hours of rest before he felt up to actually fighting. There would be time for that on the trip though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: I decided to post another in Liberation and Adventures, as it's been a month and that's within the area I originally promised an update. Let me know what you thought of the chapter if you can spare the time.


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